US: Thank God, These Are His Final Days – Iran Expresses Happiness Over Trump’s Looming Exit From White House

The Iranian government has expressed its pleasure over the very likelihood of incumbent United States President, Donald Trump’s exit from the White House.

With the electoral college’s affirmation of Joe Biden, Democratic candidate, as winner of the December 3 US presidential election, the exit of Trump from the White House became more certain.

Biden had however, signalled his willingness to return to diplomacy with Iran after four tense years under the outgoing president.

At a televised cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Hassan Rouhani, Iran President, said he was excited to see Trump leave than the emergence of Biden.

“Some say you are over excited by the advent of Mr. Biden. No, we are not, but we are very happy to see Trump leave,” Rouhani said.

“Thank God, these are his final days,” Rouhani added, calling Trump a “tyrant”, “the most unruly, lawless president” and a “terrorist and murderer.”

AFP reports the formal handover of power will take place on January 20 when Biden is sworn in.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington soared during Trump’s presidency as his administration sought to bring Israel and the Gulf Arab states closer together with a hard line against Iran.

In 2018, Trump pulled Washington out of a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran and reimposed punishing unilateral sanctions.

This January, Trump ordered an airstrike near Baghdad airport which killed senior Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and drew Iranian retaliatory strikes targeting US troops in Iraq.

Trump “creates obstacles for us purchasing (Covid-19) vaccines, (that is) how much this person is bereft of all ethical and human principles,” Rouhani said.

Iran is the Middle Eastern country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic with 52,670 deaths from more than 1.1 million cases, according to official figures.

Vaccines and other humanitarian goods are supposed to be exempt from US sanctions but in practice few if any banks are willing to risk processing Iranian transactions for fear of incurring heavy penalties in the US courts.

Since Biden’s victory, Rouhani’s government has repeatedly signalled its openness to the incoming US administration, although Iran’s supreme leader has cautioned against hopes of an opening with the West.

Rouhani said the outcome of the US election showed the American people’s desire for a “law-abiding” president and called on the Biden administration to live up to the expectation.