Iranian president honors nuclear negotiators, praises their ‘perseverance’

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has given medals to his country’s nuclear negotiation team for the successful deal reached between Tehran and world powers that has resulted in the lifting of crushing economic sanctions.

According to Iran's state-run Press TV network, he praised what he called the "perseverance of the Iranian nation and the Islamic revolution," as well as the "honesty and integrity" of Iran's negotiators and the "prudence and resistance of Foreign Minister (Javad) Zarif."

At the medal ceremony Rouhani also honored Iranian nuclear scientists who have been allegedly assassinated by foreign agents in recent years, referring to them as those who "fell protecting the country's peaceful nuclear program."

He provided their families with golden plaques vowing that "the nation would never succumb to force," and "unity is the key to all victories."