Iran’s Economy Adapting Itself against Unlawful US Sanctions: Rouhani

"According to the (International Atomic Energy Agency)...Iran has lived up to every single one of our commitments, and US sanctions are against the international laws and against (the) UN Security Council resolution," Rouhani, who is in New York, told ABC News on Wednesday.  

"The more these sanctions go on, the more the hatred of the people increases toward the United States of America, and internal unity becomes more and more solid. Yes, our people are under pressure. But the Iranian economy is adapting itself in such a way to the new sanctions of the United States of America that...in the past three months, we have been put on a trajectory of economic growth, even though, prior to this, we were experiencing a negative economic growth."

Rouhani further said the government and administration in Iran were not at fault for the sanctions and that US actions were to the detriment of Americans and other countries.

He called the sanctions "an economic form of terrorism" against Iranians and said they have been "extremely destructive and extremely hurtful."

"What America thought that it could accomplish with sanctions, that it would provoke our people against the administration, against the government, after a year-and-a-half, it has become very clear that our people, with extreme awareness and understanding, know that the main culprit is the United States of America's government," the Iranian president said through a translator.

World leaders have gathered in New York City for the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).