Iran’s Rouhani: US sanctions on Khamenei futile as he has ‘no foreign assets’

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed new US sanctions on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and described the White House as “mentally retarded”, an insult Iran has used in the past about President Donald Trump.

In a speech broadcast live on state television, Rouhani said sanctions against Khamenei would fail because he had no assets abroad. Rouhani described the latest round of sanctions as a sign of US desperation.

“The White House actions mean it is mentally retarded,” he said “Tehran’s strategic patience does not mean we have fear.”

Rouhani said that new US sanctions against senior Iranian officials including top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif showed Washington is “lying” about offering to negotiate.

“At the same time as you call for negotiations you seek to sanction the foreign minister? It’s obvious that you’re lying,” Rouhani said in a meeting with ministers broadcast live on TV.

He added that recent US sanctions on Supreme Leader Khamenei are futile as “he has no foreign assets.”

His comments came after US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Washington had “held the door open to real negotiations” but that “in response, Iran’s silence has been deafening.”