Iranian President Sheikh Hasan Rouhani told his US counterpart Barack Obama that the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program represents the national dignity of his country.

Iranian President Sheikh Hasan Rouhani told his US counterpart Barack Obama that the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program represents the national dignity of his country.

The newly elected president assured the call was held at the request of the White House.

"Yesterday (Friday) at the moment we were preparing for moving towards the airport (to leave New York after attending the UN General Assembly meeting), the White House contacted us and expressed the willingness of the US president to have a phone conversation for some minutes," Rouhani told reporters at Mehrabad airport after returning Tehran from New York on Saturday.

"Our (UN) ambassador's mobile phone was contacted on the way (to the New York airport) and the main topic of our discussion was the nuclear issue," he added.
Rouhani elaborated on the process which led to President Obama's phone talk with him, and said, "The first news on the Americans' willingness for Obama's meeting with me was released at the time we were heading to New York."

He said that there wasn’t enough time to make the necessary arrangements for a meeting between Obama and him in New York.

The two presidents talked over the phone as President Rouhani was in a car and heading towards the New York International Airport.

President Rouhani and President Obama discussed different issues during their phone conversation.
“I told Obama that the nuclear program represents Iran’s national dignity,” Rouhani said.

“I stressed that the nuclear program goes beyond just being Iran’s right. It is related to national development.”