TEHRAN -- President Ebrahim Raisi says sanctions imposed on Iran following Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have been detrimental to global economy, particularly Europe.
In a 120-minute phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron Saturday, Raisi nevertheless stressed that despite the sanctions, Iran has achieved spectacular growth in political and economic cooperation with various countries across the world.
The president condemned non-constructive measures and positions of the United States and European countries against Iran, including a resolution issued at the last month’s meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors in Vienna.
The resolution was a step toward stoking a crisis with the aim of pressuring the Iranian nation which undermined political trust, Raisi said.
The president said Iran must be able to benefit economically from being a member of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which the U.S. abandoned unilaterally three years after its conclusion.
Marathon talks to revive the agreement by bringing the U.S. back to compliance and removing the sanctions on Iran have stalled, with Washington refusing to make a political decision.
Raisi said Iran believes that an agreement hinges on the full resolution of safeguard issues and the provision of necessary guarantees, including continued adherence of the parties to the agreement and fulfillment of the economic interests of the Iranian nation.
The Iranian president also told his French counterpart that the terrorist Daesh group would have declared a “caliphate” in Europe today if it had not been for the Islamic Republic’s efforts to root out terrorisms in the region.
Raisi said regional issues should be settled by the countries of the region, without foreign intervention.
The French president said Iran plays a leading role in bringing political processes to fruition in the region.
He also expressed his country’s support for Iran’s stance against military operations by some countries in the region against Syria.
The Iranian and French presidents also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments and major global challenges, including food and energy security.
Macron expressed his disappointment to his Iranian counterpart at the lack of progress over talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.
Macron said he was convinced that an agreement was still possible but that it should take place “as soon as possible,” the French presidency said.