Leader Rules Out Iran-US Direct Talks as “Merely A Damage”
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday warned against any direct negotiation with the US, saying that Washington has not practically fulfilled its commitments under a recent nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers (known as JCPOA).
Addressing a huge gathering of Iranian people at the holy shrine of the eighth Shiite Imam, Imam Reza, in northeastern city of Mashhad, on the occasion of the New Persian Year, Ayatollah Khamenei noted that Americans have yet to fulfill what they were supposed to do as per the nuclear deal.
As Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, Washington has just taken measures on the paper, but is preventing Iran from realizing its objectives through “detours”, the Leader went on to say.
Iran still has problems in its banking transactions or in restoring its frozen assets, because Western countries and those involved in such processes are afraid of Americans, Imam Khamenei noted, lashing out at the US for its moves to prevent Iran from taking advantage of the sanctions removal based on the JCPOA.
Those who are hopeful about direct talks and reaching agreements with the US are ignoring the fact that, under any agreement, Iran has to fulfil all of its commitments, while the other side resorts to every trick and ruse not to be loyal to its obligations, the Leader warned.
“This is what we are witnessing with our own eyes: this is merely a damage,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew is making ceaseless efforts in order to prevent Iran from benefiting from the JCPOA results.
Regarding his choice of an economic motto for the New Year, namely 'Year of Resistance Economy: Action and Implementation', the Leader said that the West seeks to imply that Iranians have only one of two choices, namely either to come to terms with the US or suffer economic hardships.
The Leader said the West seeks to indoctrinate the Iranians and propagate the notion that they must either bow to the demands of the US or suffer the consequences.
Earlier this month, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) deplored procrastination in carrying out the JCPOA, saying some foreign banks still refrain from lifting sanctions against Iran for fear of possible breach of their old commitments.
Ali Akbar Salehi, who was a senior member of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, said the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) is dragging its feet over terminating the anti-Iran sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Salehi said the other side should be held accountable for the delay in lifting the sanctions against Iran.
Some major European banks have not yet lifted their sanctions on Iran, Salehi deplored, citing the undertakings they had already given to the US not to launch trade interaction with Iran.
The JCPOA, which was finalized back in July 2015, officially took effect on January 16 this year and terminated all nuclear-related sanctions on Iran.