Rouhani sent a clear message: The new government will protect the nuclear agreement

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday, during the parliamentary hearing of his candidates for the new government, pledged to protect the 2015 nuclear agreement with the international community with his new cabinet.

Parliament confirmed all but one of Rouhani's ministerial nominees on Sunday, including former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Zarif has the task of keeping the agreement alive and ensuring that US President Donald Trump's promises to cancel it do not come true, reports Hina.

Rouhani added that he considers those in Iran who criticize the agreement to be equal to Trump and enemies of Tehran. Despite this, Iran's leader has threatened in recent weeks that Iran would leave the deal at any time, and announced last week that Iran would restart its nuclear program within hours if the United States imposed new sanctions.

Rouhani accuses Trump of trying to sabotage the 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers that allows the country to use nuclear energy for non-military purposes. It lifted sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program in exchange for allowing the international community to inspect nuclear facilities and promising that Iran would reduce its uranium stockpile.