Talks on lifting non-nuclear sanctions likely: Zarif

EghtesadOnline: Iranian foreign minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif noted that negotiations on elimination of non-nuclear sanctions were likely.

News ID: ۷۴۱۵۶۱

17 May 2017

“It is likely that negotiations will be held under appropriate conditions; however, we should wait and see the other party would abide by the JCPOA," Zarif told in an interview with IRNA.

According to ISNA, he highlighted the assertions of the Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on the issue and said: “the Supreme Leader announced that the JCPOA is a test for the other party. If the other parties show they are willing to reach the solution, we will be prepared to enter other fields”.

“There is more or less consensus worldwide on the need to implement the JCPOA and the US had in the 90-day JCPOA report raised the irrelevant points and baseless charges against Iran concurrent with the positive report on the JCPOA implementation just to create a negative atmosphere,” he said.

Highlighting the important role of Iranian president Hassan Rouhani in nuclear talks, he said: “nobody has followed up nuclear topic in detail as he did. Rouhani’s well-awareness of the details served as a backing for the negotiators but what is more important than full awareness is courage of Rouhani”.

Elsewhere in the interview, Zarif said: “opponents of the JCPOA in the US try to cause tumultuous atmosphere and the aim behind escalation of sanctions is just to raise hue and cry”.

He noted that due to internal strife, certain friends did what pleased the US.

Touching on elections, Zarif said the elections were distinctive point of Iran and regional states.

“Public presence in the elections and public social presence in general and deciding their fate have resulted in enjoying security and stability by Iran. Today, our region is engulfed in disorder, violence and extremism and there is no real security anywhere in the universe like Iran and public presence make Iran powerful” he added.

“Iranian people are always on the scene and the reality has been proved to the negotiating parties that through pressure, humiliation and degradation, our people cannot be separated from the Islamic Republic and their own country. Friday elections mark an exceptional opportunity for people to show their power, solidarity and integration to the world,” Zarif went on to say.