Major Issues in JCPOA Talks Resolved: Iran’s President

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Rouhani said his administration has done a great job by overcoming the economic war on Iran.

Highlighting his administration’s success in bringing the US to the negotiation table in Vienna and in resolving the major issues, Rouhani said if there is a will and if Iran’s top negotiator in the Vienna talks, Abbas Araqchi, is given the necessary authority, the administration would be able to have the sanctions lifted today.  

The president also noted that the next administration will have a much easier job in running the country, since his administration has handled the situation under an unprecedented economic war and while facing the problems in the import of medicine and foodstuff.

Rouhani said Iran’s non-oil exports in the first quarter of the current Iranian year have increased by 69 percent compared to the corresponding period last year, and a positive balance of trade has been recorded in the 3-month period.

The outgoing president also noted that the next administration will take over the office with proper coronavirus-related conditions, saying efforts will continue to supply the COVID vaccine as the homegrown vaccines will be soon available in the market.

In comments on Sunday, Rouhani boasted of his administration’s success in dealing with the foreign sanctions in an unequal battle, urging that his successor should be informed of the economic conditions and the measures taken during his tenure to settle the problems.

Ebrahim Raeisi, the incumbent Judiciary Chief of Iran, has won the June 18 presidential election by a landslide.

In his first press conference after winning the election, Raeisi on Monday took a swipe at the US for violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and at the European states for failing to honor their commitments under the nuclear deal.

“Americans should have lifted all sanctions under the JCPOA, but failed to do so. I advise the Americans to return to their commitments, and Europe should not come under pressure from the US and (should) fulfill its commitments,” he said.

The latest round of talks to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action has begun in Vienna on April 6 between Iran and the remaining members of the nuclear deal, namely the UK, France, Russia and China plus Germany.

The US left the JCPOA in 2018 and restored the economic sanctions that the accord had lifted. Tehran retaliated with remedial nuclear measures that it is entitled to take under the JCPOA’s Paragraph 36.

The current negotiations examine the potential of revitalization of the nuclear deal and the US’ likely return to it.