Hassan Rouhani, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced that Iran is ready to negotiate if the sanctions are lifted.

In a speech in Northern Khorasan province on Sunday, July 14, Rouhani said: “We are always ready to negotiate, even at this hour, if you cease your oppression and sanctions and return to logic, we are willing to negotiate.”

Regarding the scaling down of Iran’s compliance with the landmark nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), Rouhani said: “If they scale down their compliance, we will scale down our compliance. If they breach the JCPoA, we will breach it too. If they fully comply, we will fully comply.”

He also talked about “many negotiations” that are happening “these days” but did not elaborate on them.

However, the leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, and high-ranking military officials have rejected the possibility of any negotiation with the United States.

“It has been 14 months that the strongest economic and military power in the world has imposed the harshest sanctions against the people of Iran. Sanctions that would have brought any other nation to its knees,” said Rouhani earlier on Sunday.

He added: “Anyone who claims the Iranian people are shaken by these pressure is incorrect, or lying.”

But the president admitted: “We are in very difficult conditions.”