Amid growing economic pressure and the looming threat of an oil embargo imposed by the United States, President Hassan Rouhani has rejected calls to step down and insisted on unity against growing US pressure.

“If anyone thinks the administration will resign, they are mistaken,” Rouhani said during a speech June 27 at a meeting of administration officials. Rouhani stressed the need to work with parliament and other officials, saying, “We have to show the world that we can tolerate the difficulties and the problems and we will not trade away our independence, we will not trade away our freedom, we will not trade away our Islamic system, but we will tolerate the difficulties, standing alongside one another.”

He continued, “We cannot stand up to America and yet continue our domestic fights. For one person to say the nuclear deal was good and another to say it was bad … is this really the time?”

Speaking philosophically, Rouhani said that Iran has three choices in how it responds to the US violation of the nuclear deal and the imposition of sanctions, including an oil embargo, which the US State Department has sought from all countries starting in November. The first option is to submit to the United States and do exactly as the Donald Trump administration demands, which was outlined in US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s 12 demands. The second option is to stand up to America but continue domestic quarrels. The third option is to stand up to America, protect “our honor and bring America to its knees.”