Removing Sanctions Against Iran to Consolidate Regional Stability, Says Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the US-led sanctions have harmed both the eastern and western states and their removal will help strengthen security and stability in the region.

“We have weakened and shaken the bases of sanctions and the conditions will never return to the past, we are serious and determined in the negotiations (with the world powers), but the world should know that the opportunity provided by the Iranian nation is not indefinite,” Rouhani said, addressing an economic forum in Tehran on Tuesday.

“An agreement (between Iran and the Group 5+1 – the US, Russia, China, Britain and France pus Germany) will benefit all and the western and eastern countries are telling us that the sanctions have harmed them and the removal of sanctions will benefit all,” he added.

“On the other hand such an agreement will strengthen stability in the entire region and God willing, if the two sides enjoy a good will, we can reach a final settlement over this issue,” Rouhani underlined.

Also yesterday, President Rouhani reiterated that Iran is working on breaking the sanctions concurrent with progress in the negotiations with the world powers.

“We deem the sanctions as oppressive and inhumane,” the Iranian president said, adding, “We have told them (the western countries) that your sanctions are wrong and inhumane as you have boycotted supply of medicine to our patients that will be remembered in the history.”

He underlined that Iran has and will never look for weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), and said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never been, is not and will not be after the acquisition of WMDs, no matter there is a 5+1 or not, no matter there is a body like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or not, no matter there is any NPT or not.”

Rouhani underlined that the world should know Iran is seriously pursuing negotiations to resolve the problem and it does not want the negotiations just for the sake of negotiation. “The negotiations should lead to an acceptable solution in a logical timespan and we are ready to talk in this regard with logic and reasoning.”

President Rouhani reminded that it was Iran itself that invited the IAEA to mount its cameras at Iranian nuclear sites, and added, “The world should accept and feel the existing reality and know that we will by no means withdraw from our rights.”

On Saturday, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi voiced satisfaction in the progressive trend of the nuclear talks between Iran and the six major world powers, and described the one-on-one talks with the Sextet members as a productive plan to narrow down differences before the scheduled high-level meeting in September.

 “Iran will definitely hold bilateral talks with the Group5+1 ahead of the scheduled (high-level) meeting between (Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad) Zarif and (EU Foreign Policy Chief) Catherine Ashton on the sidelines of the (annual gathering of the) UN General Assembly,” Takht Ravanchi said.

 “The exact timetable and venue of the meetings have not been determined yet,” he added.

Last month, Iran and the G5+1 had over two weeks of negotiations in Vienna with no final agreement between the two sides, but they extended their July 20 deadline for a few more months.

During the talks, a senior member of the Iranian team of negotiators stressed that the excessive demands made by the other side are the root cause of the differences between Tehran and the world powers.

At the end of their talks, the two sides agreed to extend the talks till November 24 for brokering a final deal.

Iranian, Italian FMs Stress Necessity for Confronting ISIL Terrorists

On the other hand, Iranian and Italian top diplomats in a phone conversation discussed the latest developments in Iraq, and underlined the necessity for confronting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group.

Mohammad Javad Zarif and Federica Mogherini in their phone talk on Tuesday also laid emphasis on the need for an accelerated formation of a national unity government in Iraq.

They reiterated the necessity for confronting the attacks launched by the terrorist ISIL in Iraq, and called for a collective international action to protect the minorities and all civilians in Iraq.

Italy has voiced support for Iraq in its battle against terrorism.

During a meeting between the Italian foreign minister and the Iraqi foreign ministry undersecretary for bilateral relations, Nizar al-Khairullah, in Baghdad in August, the Italian official expressed his government’s support for Iraq against terrorism and praised the positive political developments in the country.

“For his part, al-Khairullah thanked the Italian government and people for backing Iraq in its war against the terrorist gangs and their inhumane practices against the Iraqi people,” the Iraqi foreign ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, the two officials also discussed enhancement of Baghdad-Rome relations in all areas.

FNA

R.S