Tillerson hopes re-elected Rouhani 'puts an end' to Iran's ballistic missile testing

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Saturday shared the agenda he wants Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to pursue following his re-election win Friday. Speaking at a joint press conference in Riyadh with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, Tillerson said he hopes Rouhani will use his new term "to begin a process of dismantling Iran's network of terrorism."

"We also hope that he puts an end to their ballistic missile testing," Tillerson continued. "We also hope that he restores the rights of Iranians." Rouhani, who facilitated the nuclear deal Iran signed with the U.S. during the Obama administration, is a moderate and ran on a message of "social and political freedom" in contrast with his hardline challenger.

Tillerson also used the occasion to praise the massive U.S.-Saudi arms deal signed Saturday, calling it a "strong message to our common enemies," a category in which both governments place Iran. Watch an excerpt of his comments below. Bonnie Kristian

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up