The US decision to stick by the nuclear deal with Iran, despite new sanctions on its missile programme, provided welcome news for President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday, a day before his bid for re-election. That was a relief to Rouhani, who made the 2015 nuclear deal the centrepiece of his efforts to end Iran’s isolation and rebuild its economy with foreign investment. He faces a tough battle for re-election on Friday against hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who has called for a much tougher stance against the West and says the nuclear deal has not improved the lives of the poor. Iran denies ever seeking nuclear weapons and foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Thursday its missile programme is part of its “absolute and legal right to build up the country’s defensive capabilities”. The Trump administration will have to waive more sanctions next month if it wants to stick by the nuclear deal.

Source: Egypt Independent May 18, 2017 10:18 UTC