Whatever happens in JCPOA, Iran’s the winner: Pres. Rouhani

In the meeting that was held on Tuesday, local time, in New York Dr Rouhani added: “At this historic stage, mass media can play a valuable role not only in expressing the realities of the world but also in making decisions for those responsible for the management of countries around the world”.

He continued: “All in all, our global and regional conditions are not such that to make us feel that the situation has been much better than the past, and if this is the case, so there have been mistakes in decision making”.

On the years after 2001 and the beginning of a new century, he said: “During this 17-year period, have the conditions of the people been better in Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, and Bahrain? And are the conditions that created terrorism today in the region and the world worse than the beginning of the century, and have the people become stronger or terrorists?”

Dr Rouhani added: “Has the relations between Iran and the United States reached the point in the past 40 years in the favour of the two nations, or have the gaps between the two governments and the two nations increased? Is the selected path correct or incorrect with errors? Our greatest mission today is to accurately recognise the societies and the state of the world today, and to look at the areas in which we have been right or wrong and to cover the points of error with compensatory measures”.

Referring to the JCPOA, the president said: "JCPOA is an agreement that has been followed by many diplomats after many years and endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in resolution 2231”.

Dr Rouhani said: "The topic of JCPOA is completely different from all the similar things that are sometimes mentioned in the press. Firstly, the issue relates to the issue of non-proliferation and, secondly, it is an agreement reached by seven countries, and thirdly, this agreement has been tediously achieved with the hosting and support of many countries”.

“This unanimous agreement was endorsed by the UN Security Council and, most importantly, as the basis that has been operational over the past two years and has created better interactive conditions in relations between Iran and the countries of the region, the European Union and other countries”.

The president stated: "In this agreement, the IAEA is the supervisory agency, whose inspectors report every three months, and other authorities cannot talk about whether Iran has or has not lived up to its commitments. In all of the seven reports of the Agency, it has also been emphasised that Iran has fully complied with its obligations. Therefore, if the US government breaks this obligation, it will bear all the losses and responsibilities and will show that Iran is a country that adheres to its obligations and that America is a country that no one can trust, because it may agree some day and, with the coming of another government, all those agreements will be violated”.

Dr Rouhani added: "Therefore, whatever happens in the JCPOA, Iran is victorious. Of course, if the United States exits the agreement, it will suffer losses and if it stays, it will benefit. We are ready for any situation and we have no problem to continue our journey, but if the United States wants to withdraw its commitment, it means that the agreement is undermined, in which case, Iran may choose another way”.

Speaking about regional issues, in particular Yemen, the president said that actions of Saudi Arabia and its supporters in Yemen, including the indiscriminate bombing of the Yemenis and the killing of innocents, were incorrect and against all international and humanitarian principles and regulations, saying: "Saudi airstrikes and the killing of innocent people of Yemen has no justification”.

"We believe that the aggression in Yemen should be stopped, altruistic assistance begin to flow to that country, and conditions for the Yemeni-Yemen talks be prepared, so that the Yemeni people will be able to decide for their own future, and all ethnic groups must participate in the future of Yemen”.

Denouncing US dual standards on human rights and weapons, Dr Rouhani said: “The United States remains silent when it comes to concluding major arms contracts and does not condemn any crime; how are these dual standards justifiable?”

Referring to the concurrence of Tramp’s visit to Saudi Arabia threatening Iran and the elections in Iran, the president said: “The attendance of 41 million Iranians at the ballot boxes was the best response of the Iranian nation to the threats of some countries and the words of Tramp, and Iranians showed that they believe in their system and democracy and choose their officials at the ballot box”.

In response to the remarks by US officials that Iran's military defense program upsets the balance in the region, Dr Rouhani said: “Does Iran’s missile program upset the balance or a flood of weapons to the region? And silence against the invasion of a country to another independent state? Undoubtedly, the Americans' own survey confirms that the people of the region regard Iran's role and the counter-terrorism program as positive, in contrast to the role of the Americans”.

"We are living in a tumultuous region, and the experience of the 8-year imposed war shows that we cannot hesitate to defend our people," the president said, noting that selling all these weapons is not in the interests of the region and that there should not be any arms race.

“The world was silent when our innocent people were bombed by Saddam, and closed their eyes on this crime. Our people cannot remain silent against dangers of the region; Iran's missile program is defensive. Who believes Iran should not defend itself?”.

The president said: “Our people make missiles and defensive weapons. The government's greatest responsibility is to defend the security of the people and the national security of the country, and I wonder how there is talk of defensive weapons, but not about the types of offensive weapons targeting the Yemeni people every day”.

He also spoke about relations between Iran and Russia, and said that the two countries have close views about regional and international issues and are working to create stability and security.

Dr Rouhani said: "Any country that helps us in the fields of science, industry, manufacturing, banking, and loans, we will have a warmer relationship with that country, because we need $200 billion foreign capital in the energy sector, and so far, billions of dollars has been attracted by some countries, including Japan, Russia and China; the United States could have used the opportunity, but it is acting in reverse. While we need a passenger air fleet, the US House of Representatives disrupts Boeing's deal, and this move is a repeat of failed policies”.

In response to a question regarding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the president said: "The Revolutionary Guard is a great popular force in our country, and played a very important role in the eight-year war. Today, it has played a very important role Iran's security and the fight against terrorism, not only in Iran, but also in Syria and Iraq”.

In response to a question about a referendum in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Dr Rouhani also said: “It should be noted that any change is very dangerous and contrary to the constitution and territorial integrity, and security and peace in Iraq and the whole region. The geographical boundaries should not be changed, because this move will initiate a domino of tensions, the end of which is not known. Relations between Erbil and Baghdad should also be pursued as an internal matter within Iraq and within the framework of its constitution”.

In response to a question about linking Islam with some terrorist groups, Dr Rouhani said: “Islam is the religion of peace and friendship, and there is no connection between this religion and the terrorist groups, as an extremist Christian group may do a terrorist act that cannot be linked to the religion of Christianity. Islam is opposed to any kind of violence, assassination and murder, and the establishment of a relationship between them is a very dangerous accusation for the security of the world”.



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