The president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, told Steve Kroft that his chants of “Death to America” are not meant to offend Americans.

In an interview set to air on this weekend’s 60 Minutes, Steve Kroft said, “I’m sure you realize that it is difficult for many Americans to get past the fact that President Obama has signed an agreement with a country that says ‘Death to America, Death to Israel’.”

“How do you explain this?,” he continued. “What are they to make of it? Are they to take it literally? Is this for domestic internal Iranian political consumption? What are Americans to make of it, the language?”

“This slogan that is chanted is not a slogan against the American people,” Rouhani responded. “Our people respect the American people.”

“The Iranian people are not looking for war with any country but at the same time, the policies of the United States have been against the national interests of Iranian people,” he continued.

He then rationalized hatred of America: “When the people rose up against the Shah, the United States aggressively supported the Shah until the last moments … People will not forget these things — we cannot forget the past.”