Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has taunted the Trump Administration, saying the Islamic Republic’s firm position has forced the US to back away from a military confrontation and regime change.

Rouhani told Iranian athletes in Tehran on Saturday, “For months and days, the Iranian nation went through some tough times against the enemies relying on its steadfastness which forced the enemies to retreat step by step.”

The President declared, “We have to rely on whatever strengthens hope, spirits and will power in people. If we stand up to the United States with hope, we will win the war”.”

Led by National Security Advisor John Bolton, the Administration stepped up its overt challenge to Tehran last month, amid its warnings of possible attacks by Iranian-supported forces on US troops in the region. A carrier strike force, with the USS Abraham Lincoln and bombers, moved towards the Persian Gulf, and more bombers were stationed in Qatar.

But with the Pentagon and other US officials urging caution not to provoke a war, Donald Trump — days after he had threatened the “official end” of the Islamic Republic — stepped back from the military measures. White House leaks said Trump was restraining Bolton, chiding that if the National Security Advisor had his way, “We’d be in four wars by now.”

Last week, Trump said in Japan that comprehensive US sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and harsh rhetoric are not seeking “regime change”.

In his Saturday remarks, Rouhani poked at Washington:

The enemy who was claiming that it is the greatest military power in the world, is announcing today that it is not going to enter a war.

A few months ago, their warships were freely coming and going in the Persian Gulf, but today they have dropped their anchors 300-400 miles away in international waters.

The President repeated Iran’s public line that it will negotiate under pressure with the US.

We support logic and negotiation if [the other side] sits at the negotiating table and fully respects and follows international regulations, not if it issues a decree to negotiate.

In that case we will not buy it.

Despite the Supreme Leader’s assertion that talks with there have been high-profile signs in the past two weeks that indirect talks, or at least signals through brokers such as Oman and Japan, are underway.

Iran Daily, May 30: Supreme Leader Rejects Talk of “Indirect” Negotiations with US
Iran Daily, May 28: Indirect Discussions With the Trump Administration?