Iran Pres.: Iran Will Stand Up to US

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran's president says his country will stand up to the United States and reciprocate for any new sanctions that America imposes on the Islamic Republic.

Hassan Rouhani says that if Washington, under any pretext, imposes new sanctions against Iran, "we will stand up to the United States."

He says the "great nation of Iran will have an appropriate answer" and then adds — without elaborating — that the Iranian parliament will also act.

Rouhani's remarks on Wednesday were broadcast on state TV. He spoke a day after the Trump administration announced new, non-nuclear sanctions on Iranians while at the same time warning Iran that it would face consequences for breaching "the spirit" of the nuclear deal with world powers.

The new sanctions target 18 Iranian individuals and groups.

(KA)