Iran Rejects Extension of Sanctions
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran will not accept any extension of sanctions beyond 10 years, an official said on Wednesday.
Abbas Araqchi, one of several deputy foreign ministers, also told a news conference Iran would do "anything” to help allies in the Middle East, underlining Tehran's message that despite the finalized nuclear talks Iran will not change its foreign policy.
Araqchi, Iran's senior nuclear negotiator, told the televised conference that any attempt to re-impose sanctions after they expired in 10 years would breach the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He was referring to a resolution endorsing the plan passed by the UN Security Council on Monday.
The resolution allows all UN sanctions to be re-imposed if Iran violates the agreement in the next 10 years. If Iran adheres to the terms of the agreement, all the provisions and measures of the UN resolution would end in 10 years.
However, the six world powers, known as the P5+1, and the European Union told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this month that after 10 years they planned to seek a five-year extension of the mechanism allowing sanctions to be re-imposed.
Araqchi challenged this move, saying: "Our priority is our national interests, not UN Security Council's resolutions."
"The UN Security Council’s resolution says clearly that the timeframe of agreement is 10 years, and Iran’s case will be closed in the Security Council after that," Araqchi said.
"If the U.S. and any other member of P5+1 say they want to adopt a new resolution after 10 years allowing sanctions to be re-imposed, it is the breach of Vienna agreement and has no credibility."
Iran's Foreign Ministry said shortly after the passage of the resolution on Monday that the JCPOA did not mean Tehran accepted "sanctions and restrictions imposed by the UNSC, the U.S., the EU or member countries".
On Monday, Araqchi told national television: "Whenever it's needed to send arms to our allies in the region, we will do so. We are not ashamed of it."
He also said Iran does not expect a change in the behavior of the United States following the successful conclusion of the talks except in the area of Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S., likewise, should expect no change in the policies of the Islamic Republic, he added.
Araqchi said the talks between Iran and the P5+1 were exclusively limited to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
The deputy foreign minister said, however, that upon the decision of high-ranking Iranian officials, Iran may in the future engage in negotiations on specific topics with the US. He said that no prediction can be made about that issue at the moment.
Answering a question about the settlement of the issue of the so-called possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program, Araqchi expressed confidence that the issue can be rationally resolved and through keeping both sides’ concerns in mind.
He further referred to a recent "roadmap” devised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to settle issues, and said the so-called PMD and the disagreement over Parchin military site will be addressed through the mechanism of the roadmap.
The senior Iranian diplomat further said that Resolution 2231 (2015) approved by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday does not cover the delivery of S-300 missile system to Iran by Russia.
"The weapons the sales of which to Iran are restricted (based on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action JCPOA) are seven items, not including defensive data-x-items such as S-300,” he said.
Araqchi thanked Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for his guidance and support in the course of the negotiations that led to the conclusion of the JCPOA.
Meanwhile, President Hassan Rouhani said the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unequivocally recognized the Islamic Republic’s right to enrich uranium.
"Iran sought to establish its right to enrichment, and today, the UNSC has explicitly acknowledged our country’s enrichment right,” Rouhani said during a cabinet session on Wednesday.
The president Rouhani rejected the claim by the U.S. and its allies that, as a result of the JCPOA, Iran will not be able to build a nuclear weapon in less than a year, dismissing it as a "ridiculous allegation” since Iran does not seek to obtain such weapons at all.
"The Iranian nation has never sought weapons of mass destruction and considers them against ethics, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and a fatwa by Leader of the Islamic Revolution,” said the president.
Rouhani further dismissed the allegation that Iran interferes in the internal affairs of other countries as a wrong perception.
"We regard meddling [in other countries’ affairs] as incorrect and wrong, and believe that every country’s affairs should be entrusted to its people,” he said.
Rouhani further stressed that Iran would defend the oppressed, and use its utmost power to counter terrorism, which is a menace to the region and the whole world.
On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country’s military capabilities, including development of its ballistic missiles, are solely meant for defense as they have not been designed to carry nuclear warheads, and those capabilities are outside the scope of Resolution 2231 and its annexes.
Araqchi, Iran's senior nuclear negotiator, told the televised conference that any attempt to re-impose sanctions after they expired in 10 years would breach the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He was referring to a resolution endorsing the plan passed by the UN Security Council on Monday.
The resolution allows all UN sanctions to be re-imposed if Iran violates the agreement in the next 10 years. If Iran adheres to the terms of the agreement, all the provisions and measures of the UN resolution would end in 10 years.
However, the six world powers, known as the P5+1, and the European Union told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this month that after 10 years they planned to seek a five-year extension of the mechanism allowing sanctions to be re-imposed.
Araqchi challenged this move, saying: "Our priority is our national interests, not UN Security Council's resolutions."
"The UN Security Council’s resolution says clearly that the timeframe of agreement is 10 years, and Iran’s case will be closed in the Security Council after that," Araqchi said.
"If the U.S. and any other member of P5+1 say they want to adopt a new resolution after 10 years allowing sanctions to be re-imposed, it is the breach of Vienna agreement and has no credibility."
Iran's Foreign Ministry said shortly after the passage of the resolution on Monday that the JCPOA did not mean Tehran accepted "sanctions and restrictions imposed by the UNSC, the U.S., the EU or member countries".
On Monday, Araqchi told national television: "Whenever it's needed to send arms to our allies in the region, we will do so. We are not ashamed of it."
He also said Iran does not expect a change in the behavior of the United States following the successful conclusion of the talks except in the area of Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S., likewise, should expect no change in the policies of the Islamic Republic, he added.
Araqchi said the talks between Iran and the P5+1 were exclusively limited to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
The deputy foreign minister said, however, that upon the decision of high-ranking Iranian officials, Iran may in the future engage in negotiations on specific topics with the US. He said that no prediction can be made about that issue at the moment.
Answering a question about the settlement of the issue of the so-called possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program, Araqchi expressed confidence that the issue can be rationally resolved and through keeping both sides’ concerns in mind.
He further referred to a recent "roadmap” devised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to settle issues, and said the so-called PMD and the disagreement over Parchin military site will be addressed through the mechanism of the roadmap.
The senior Iranian diplomat further said that Resolution 2231 (2015) approved by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday does not cover the delivery of S-300 missile system to Iran by Russia.
"The weapons the sales of which to Iran are restricted (based on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action JCPOA) are seven items, not including defensive data-x-items such as S-300,” he said.
Araqchi thanked Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for his guidance and support in the course of the negotiations that led to the conclusion of the JCPOA.
Meanwhile, President Hassan Rouhani said the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unequivocally recognized the Islamic Republic’s right to enrich uranium.
"Iran sought to establish its right to enrichment, and today, the UNSC has explicitly acknowledged our country’s enrichment right,” Rouhani said during a cabinet session on Wednesday.
The president Rouhani rejected the claim by the U.S. and its allies that, as a result of the JCPOA, Iran will not be able to build a nuclear weapon in less than a year, dismissing it as a "ridiculous allegation” since Iran does not seek to obtain such weapons at all.
"The Iranian nation has never sought weapons of mass destruction and considers them against ethics, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and a fatwa by Leader of the Islamic Revolution,” said the president.
Rouhani further dismissed the allegation that Iran interferes in the internal affairs of other countries as a wrong perception.
"We regard meddling [in other countries’ affairs] as incorrect and wrong, and believe that every country’s affairs should be entrusted to its people,” he said.
Rouhani further stressed that Iran would defend the oppressed, and use its utmost power to counter terrorism, which is a menace to the region and the whole world.
On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country’s military capabilities, including development of its ballistic missiles, are solely meant for defense as they have not been designed to carry nuclear warheads, and those capabilities are outside the scope of Resolution 2231 and its annexes.