Senior Cleric Raps US for Disloyalty to Nuclear Deal

Rasa - Tehran's provisional Friday Prayers Leader Hojjatoleslam Kazzem Seddiqi blasted the US for its non-commitment to the nuclear deal with Iran.

News ID: 431278

Date: 28 July 2017 - 20:13

RNA - Addressing a large and fervent congregation of the people on Tehran University campus on Friday, Hojjatoleslam Seddiqi said, "The senior Iranian officials have reiterated that the new sanctions imposed by the US against Iran violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)."

He reiterated that the West was expected to remove all sanctions after six months, but on the contrary it added to them on baseless pretexts.

In relevant remarks on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi warned Washington of Iran's reciprocal measures if the US senate approves new sanctions passed by the congress.

"The US House of Representatives passed the non-nuclear sanctions bill against Iran and in case of its final approval (by the US Senate) and its implementation, they will ignore and put at risk the successful implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which is a multilateral and international agreement achieved as a result of several years of efforts," Qassemi said.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman pointed to the age-old anti-Iran measures of the US congress, and said, "The US has commitments based on the JCPOA which should be fulfilled and the internal laws and regulations of countries cannot become a pretext for shrugging responsibilities by the governments."

He noted that hence as the Islamic Republic of Iran, as endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and acknowledged by the member-states of the Group 5+1 (the US, China, Russia, France and Britain plus Germany), has fully complied with its undertakings and implemented them and the country expects other sides, including the US, to also fulfill their commitments.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will closely study the text of the bill and its contents in case of its approval, and believes that the contents of the bill do not comply with the JCPOA; therefore, as it has been previously announced, the Islamic Republic of Iran will take reciprocal and proportionate measures in line with maintaining its national interests," Qassemi added.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman reiterated that the foreign ministry considers the contents of the bill about Iran's military forces and missile capabilities as fully illegal, unjustifiable and baseless.

"The principled policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards the region is fighting terrorism, good neighborly relations and maintaining collective security while Iran's missile program is based on Resolution 2231 and nothing can prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from following up and implementing the principled policy of boosting its defensive capabilities," Qassemi added.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that the US congressmen accuse Iran of destabilizing the region while the US government plays the main role in creating terrorist groups such as the ISIL and increasing instability in the region, adding, "The prevailing extremism is the result of uncalculated and irresponsible policies of that country and its regional allies.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani warned that the country's legislative body will vote for reciprocal approvals in response to the US violation of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers.

"The Americans have shown disloyalty in the past and present and, specially in the current era, they think that if they fight against the nuclear deal, it will benefit them while it will harm them," Larijani told reporters in Tehran.

Stressing Iran's high potentials in the nuclear field, he said that the country can change the conditions rapidly.

Larijani warned Washington in sarcastic remarks that Tehran could narrow down the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection of Iran's nuclear installations if the Americans continue violating the deal.

"We monitor their behavior precisely and will take proper action. We adopt necessary decisions in related parliament commissions and will study them rapidly in open sessions," he said.

In relevant remarks on Monday, Qassemi blasted certain US officials' remarks against the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers, stressing that Iran has plans to reciprocate any violation of the internationally-accepted agreement.

"We don't feel worried about any kind of behavior of the US and others and we have foreseen contingency plans for any possible scenarios," Qassemi told reporters in Tehran, commenting on Iran's possible reaction to the possible approval on Tuesday of a new sanctions law against the Islamic Republic by the US House of Representatives.

"We can implement our policies based on reciprocal action and continue our path," he said, expressing the hope that the ruling system in the US would be wise enough to avoid creating new problems for the US people and themselves.

Asked if Iran would take part in talks with the new US administration over issues other than the nuclear deal, Qassemi said "the wall of mistrust between us is tall and solid" and an indicator of the two sides' behavior.

"Unfortunately or fortunately, the US has showed in practice that it cannot be trusted and they have helped this wall of mistrust grow taller by rocking the boat and disloyalty to the nuclear deal," he added.

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