Iran Reacts to US Senate Vote to Extend Iran Sanctions Act for 10 Years

 Rouhani: No Move Authorized to Undermine JCPOA

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says no move is authorized to undermine last year’s landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.

The nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed following efforts by seven countries in line with the promotion of international peace and security, Rouhani said in a meeting with Russia’s special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, in Tehran on Saturday.

“No country must be allowed to carry out a measure based on its own desires to weaken the agreement,” the Iranian president said.

He urged all countries to safeguard the achievements of the JCPOA.

 “Iran has always remained and will remain committed to its international obligations (under the JCPOA) and the P5+1 members must fully fulfill their commitments so that the JCPOA would remain in place,” Rouhani pointed out.

He made the remarks in reaction to the US Senate vote to extend the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for 10 years.

The US Senate passed the ISA 99-0 on Thursday after it easily cleared the House of Representatives last month.

The ISA was first adopted in 1996 to punish investments in Iran over its nuclear program.

Iran has vowed to take “appropriate measures” against the ISA extension, saying it violated the JCPOA terms.

The top Iranian nuclear official, Ali Akbar Salehi, who played a leading role in concluding the nuclear deal, said on Friday that the US move was a “blatant violation” of the JCPOA.

Salehi, who is the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, added that the Islamic Republic was fully prepared to respond to the US Senate’s decision to extend the ISA but would act wisely and with prudence.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia – plus Germany started to implement the JCPOA on January 16.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related bans imposed against Tehran.

Need for Iran-Russia close anti-terror fight

Rouhani also said terrorism poses a serious threat to the region and the entire world and stressed the importance of improving close cooperation between Iran and Russia in the fight against the malicious phenomenon.

“There is good cooperation and consultation between Tehran and Moscow in this field, which would continue until the achievement of the ultimate goal, which is to uproot terrorism and establish total peace and stability in the region,” the Iranian president added.

He emphasized that the Syrian crisis can be solved through political negotiations, respect for the people’s will and the maintenance of the country’s territorial integrity.

Iran and Russia are Syria’s main allies and have been assisting the government in Damascus in its fight against foreign-backed terrorist groups, including the DaeshTakfiri terrorists.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani commended growing cooperation between Iran and Russia on mutual, regional and international issues.

He said the two countries’ cooperation on mutual issues will undoubtedly serve the interests of the two nations and contribute to regional peace and stability.

Russia’s clear-cut stance on JCPOA

The Russian diplomat, for his part, said his country has a clear-cut stance on the JCPOA, emphasizing that there is no reason to weaken the agreement.

He also called for the development of bilateral cooperation on regional and international developments.

 

Velayati: Extension of 20- Year Old Sanctions Breach of JCPOA

 

Head of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati said on Saturday that no doubt that reimposing, confirmation and extension of sanctions under any excuse amounts to breach of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), IRNA reported.

He made the remarks in a press encounter on the sidelines of a meeting with Russian special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev responding to a reporter asking about Iran’s stance vis-à-vis extension of sanctions by the US Senate.

Of course, US president has not signed the bill for extending sanctions, but if he signs to finalize it, it is a blatant violation of the deal, he said.

Iran has accepted limitations on its nuclear activities for a certain period in return for lifting all restrictions imposed on Iran’s economy by the other side, Velayati said.

The official also said that it is not acceptable to ink an accord on the one hand and resume sanctions on the other under various excuses of human rights or the so-called support for terrorism.

The US and certain western states are violating human rights more than others and racial discrimination is on the increase in the United States, he said.

‘Iran will stand against breaching the JCPOA and is fully prepared to retaliate for any violation and it will continue with peaceful use of nuclear energy within the framework of the international regulations,’ he said.

Approval of the inhuman extension of 20-year old sanctions account for breach of JCPOA indicating the US anger at Iran and its allies victory in the region, he said.

As to his talks with Lavrentiev, he said, ‘Both of us agreed that the Syrian Arab army and government, Russia, Iran and Hezbollah should continue fighting until full liberation of Aleppo.’

 

New Vote Shows Lack of US Credibility, Says Zarif

 

Meantime, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the extension of a piece of anti-Iran legislation in the US will have no “executive effect” and will merely be a sign of the US government’s unreliability, Press T.V reported.

Speaking to reporters on his arrival in New Delhi on Saturday, Zarif referred to the US Senate’s Thursday vote to extend the so-called Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) and said the legislation has no executive value.

“What was done at the Senate, even if it is signed off on by America’s president, has no executive effect and from the standpoint of the international community, it shows the lack of credibility of the US government, which acts against its commitments,” Zarif said.

Iran will halt JCPOA implementation if sanctions re-imposed

Addressing a meeting with Indian intellectuals and elites in New Delhi on Saturday, Zarif warned that the Islamic Republic will halt the implementation of last year’s landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries if the US sanctions are re-imposed on the country.

“If they (the US) return to sanctions, we will not remain committed to the agreement,” the top Iranian diplomat said.

Agencies

R.S