Ali Akbar Salehi also told the AP in an exclusive interview Tuesday in Tehran that the consequences . will be harsh if there are any new attacks targeting Irans nuclear scientists. A string of bombings, blamed on Israel, targeted a number of scientists beginning in 2010 at the height of Western concerns over Irans program.
Salehi also said that President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw America from the 2015 accord puts him on the losers side of history.
He added: That deal could have paved the way for building the trust and the confidence that we had lost.
Salehis comments come after Trump decided to pull the U.S. from the deal in May. The 2015 accord, struck under President Barack Obamas administration, saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
In the wake of Trumps decision, Western companies from airplane manufacturers to oil firms have pulled out of Iran. Irans rial currency, which traded before the decision at 62,000 to $1, now stands at 142,000 to $1.
I think (Trump) is on the losers side because he is pursuing the logic of power, Salehi said. He thinks that he can, you know, continue for some time but certainly I do not think he will benefit from this withdrawal, certainly not.
Salehi spoke about Irans efforts to build a new facility at Natanzs uranium enrichment center that will produce more advanced centrifuges. Those devices enrich uranium by rapidly spinning uranium hexafluoride gas.
For now, the nuclear accord limits Iran to using a limited number of an older model, called IR-1s. The new facility will allow it to build advanced versions called the IR-2M, IR-4 and IR-6, which can enrich uranium much faster.
If we have to go back and withdraw from the nuclear deal, we certainly do not go back to where we were before, Salehi said. We will be standing on a much, much higher position.
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