"The US statesmen imagine that economic sanctions will force Iran sit to the
negotiating table with the US and make compromise on the regional issues and its
missile capabilities," Political Deputy for the Iranian Army's
Ideological-Political Organization Mohammad Akraminia said on Sunday.
He added that the Americans are after practical moves against Iran which will
lead to street protests and unrests after economic pressures, and said, "The
experience of the (2015) nuclear deal and all past experiences have shown that
the US has never complied with its undertakings and the costs of compromise with
the US are more that the costs of challenge."
"We will pay less costs compared with other countries by confrontation against
the US, while we also protect our honor and independence," Akraminia said.
US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that the US would no longer remain
part of the JCPOA and promised to re-impose the highest level of economic
sanctions against Iran in response to Tehran's development of its nuclear
program.
After Trump's declaration, the Iranian government issued a statement, calling
the US withdrawal as "unlawful". The statement underlined Iran's
prerequisites for continuing the deal with the five world powers after the US
pullout of the agreement.
"Iran, as a country that has remained committed to its legal obligations, will
pursue the US Government’s decision to withdraw from the JCPOA as provided by
the mechanisms and provisions of the accord, and if the US withdrawal is not
fully compensated and the full interests of the Iranian people are not met and
guaranteed – as stated in the accord and as outlined by Iran’s Leader on 9 May –
it will exercise its legal right to take whatever reciprocal measures it deems
expedient. Other parties to the JCPOA, and especially its three European
signatories, must take necessary action to safeguard the accord and to implement
their commitments – which they proved incapable of fully performing even while
the US was nominally a party to the deal, due to the obstructions by the Trump
Administration – and to proceed from giving pledges to taking practical action
without any preconditions," it said.
"None of the provisions or timeframes within the JCPOA, which were the subject
of twelve years of negotiations, are negotiable in any manner. The US, which has
through its meddling and erroneous policies ignited extremism, terrorism,
destruction, war and child killing in our region, is in no position to issue any
diktat about the Islamic Republic of Iran’s lawful presence within its own
region nor its effective support for the peoples of Syria and Iraq in their
endeavor to fight extremists. The US and its allies, which through their support
for the regime of Saddam Hussein, including equipping it with chemical weapons
and the most advanced military equipment while blocking Iran’s access to any
means of defense victimized the Iranian people for eight years, and currently
turning our region into a powder keg through their sale of hundreds of billions
of dollars of useless advanced weaponry devouring the financial resources of the
region, are in no position to impose restrictions on the Islamic Republic of
Iran’s lawful means of defense, including defensive ballistic missiles which
have been designed to carry conventional weapons based on the bitter experiences
of the war with the regime of Saddam Hussein. Indeed, such efforts explicitly
violate the principles of international law, and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s
legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations
Charter," it added.
"As announced by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran on 8 May, the
Foreign Minister has been tasked with the duty of taking the necessary measures
to obtain required guarantees from the remaining parties to the JCPOA as well as
Iran’s other economic partners, and to immediately report the results of this
mission. Meanwhile, the President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has
been tasked with taking all necessary steps in preparation for Iran to pursue
industrial-scale enrichment without any restrictions, using the results of the
latest research and development of Iran’s brave nuclear scientists."
"The people of Iran will with calm and confidence continue their path towards
progress and development and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has
foreseen all necessary measures to facilitate this under any circumstances," the
statement continued.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a secure and powerful state, which derives its
security and economic development from within, relying on the prudent
participation and resilience of its brave and civilized people, seeks
constructive and dignified engagement with the world, and as shown by its
implementation of the JCPOA despite the United States’ continuous violations, is
a trustworthy and committed partner for all who are prepared to cooperate on the
basis of shared interests and mutual respect," it reiterated.
Source: FNA