Iran Threatens U.S., Says It Could Abandon Nuclear Deal 'Within Hours'

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani issued a threat to the United States Tuesday, saying Iran could re-launch its nuclear weapons program "within hours" if it wanted to.

Rouhani says his threats are a direct response to the United States placing new sanctions on Iran last month for beefing up its missile programs.

"If America wants to go back to the experience (of imposing sanctions), Iran would certainly return in a short time – not a week or a month but within hours – to conditions more advanced than before the start of negotiations," Rouhani said live on state television during a parliament session.

Rouhani says America violated the nuclear deal, not Iran.

"The world has clearly seen that under Trump, America has ignored international agreements and, in addition to undermining the (nuclear deal), has broken its word on the Paris agreement and the Cuba accord...and that the United States is not a good partner or a reliable negotiator," Rouhani said.

Last week President Trump said he did not believe Iran was "living up to" the nuclear deal.

"I don't think Iran is in compliance," Trump told reporters at his private New Jersey golf club, according to Reuters. "I don't they're living up to the spirit of the agreement."