Iran dismisses new U.S. sanctions, calls White House 'retarded'

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed new U.S. sanctions on Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and described the White House as "mentally retarded", an insult Iran has used in the past about President Donald Trump.

In a speech broadcast live on state television, Rouhani said sanctions against Khamenei would fail because he had no assets abroad. Rouhani described the latest round of sanctions as a sign of U.S. desperation.

"The White House actions mean it is mentally retarded," he said "Tehran's strategic patience does not mean we have fear."

(Additional reporting by Nafisa Eltahir in Dubai,; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Peter Graff)