TEHRAN (Iran News) – President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday dismissed a US offer to help Iran fight the coronavirus outbreak, saying that “vicious” American sanctions are depriving the country of medicine.

“Those who have deprived the people of even medicine and food through sanctions, who have done the most vicious things… they appear with a mask of sympathy and say that we want to offer help the nation of Iran,” Rouhani said, in a clear reference to the US.

“Our people know well that you are lying, that you are not telling the truth,” he said while speaking at a cabinet meeting.

US President Donald Trump had said Saturday he was ready to aid Iran with the virus outbreak if the Islamic Republic asked for assistance. “All they have to do is ask,” Trump said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had also claimed during a House hearing on Friday that Iran did not have a solid health care infrastructure and that the US had offered to help it with the coronavirus response.

The worst thing the ill-wishers of Iran and Iranians can do is to exploit the circumstances brought up by the intrusion of one virus into the country to target our people,” Rouhani said.

The US pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal and reimposed tough sanctions on Iran in 2018.

Humanitarian goods, especially medicine and medical equipment, are technically exempt.

But international purchases of such supplies are forestalled by banks wary of conducting any business with Iran for fear of falling foul of the US sanctions.

Tehran sued Washington at the International Court of Justice afterward. The tribunal obliged the latter to lift its sanctions on Iran-bound humanitarian supplies.

Rouhani said the US must first lift sanctions blocking medicine purchases to prove its honest intent to help.

“This is the first step… to free banking relations for purchasing medicine, transferring medicine, and shipping medicine and food,” he said.

“And you also need to admit that you have done wrong to the Iranian nation and offer them an apology,” Rouhani said.