Under then-President Trump, the United States withdrew unilaterally from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, subsequently imposing severe sanctions on the country.
Reacting to Trump’s likely victory, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday that, from Iran’s perspective, there is no real difference between Trump and his opponent Kamala Harris.
"The election of the US president is irrelevant to us. The core policies of the US towards Iran are unchanged," she stated.
"It doesn’t matter who takes office as president in the United States because Iran has already made the necessary preparations," Mohajerani explained, adding that Iran is ready to face any potential new sanctions.
"After over forty years of sanctions, Iran has developed resilience and does not fear Trump's return," she asserted.
"To us, there is essentially no difference between these two candidates [Trump and Harris]. Sanctions have fortified Iran’s internal strength, and we are equipped to handle any new restrictions."
Trump was officially sworn in as the 47th US president on Wednesday, reclaiming office nearly four years after a significant loss to his Democratic rival Joe Biden, marking his second non-consecutive term.
For weeks, polls had predicted a closely contested race between Harris and Trump, who would be the oldest president at the time of his inauguration, the first convicted felon in the office, and only the second president to serve non-consecutive terms.
The businessman-turned-politician also awaits sentencing in a criminal case involving hush money payments to an adult film actress, while controversy lingers over his unprecedented efforts to reverse his 2020 election defeat to Biden.