TEHRAN -- Iran could restart its nuclear programme within hours should the U.S. impose further sanctions on the country, President Hassan Rowhani said Tuesday. The Trump administration slapped fresh sanctions against Iranian entities and officials in July in response to the missile programme. It permits Iran to use nuclear power for civil purposes, but not to build nuclear weapons. Nothing in the nuclear agreement covers the country's missile programme, Tehran has noted, claiming that the missile programme is solely for defence. The U.S. State Department recently certified that Tehran had met the terms of the nuclear deal.

Source: The China Post August 15, 2017 10:41 UTC