Pres. Rouhani: Americans have no choice but to abandon fruitless path of sanctions

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Speaking in a meeting with senior Japanese political, economic and cultural managers, President said, "Iran’s doors are always open to the Japanese government and companies”.

At the meeting that was held on Saturday morning, Tokyo local time, President Hassan Rouhani said, "We must not let third-party countries disrupt Iran-Japan relations”.

“There is no doubt that the United States’ illegal sanctions cannot continue in the long run and the Americans will have no choice but to abandon the fruitless path of sanctions,” he said.

The President continued, "We have no problem with talking with the US about our problems if they return from the wrong path that they have taken in the past 1.5 years”.

He said, "The United States’ pressure on Iran and other countries is a bitter reality that we are facing today, but it is important to be able to find a way in these hard conditions”.

President Hassan Rouhani’s speech is as follows:

In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

We attach great weight to relations between Iran and Japan because firstly, Iran and Japan are two very important and effective countries in Asia and the world. Secondly, there are very good opportunities for development of relations between the two countries. Third, the Iranian and Japanese nations have had very good friendly relations and the trade relations between the two countries date back to over a thousand years ago.

We feel that like the Iranian government, which is determined to develop relations, the Japanese government is also determined.

The fact that we have had 12 meetings with Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in the recent years, indicates that the determination exists in both sides.

I think that there are no obstacles on the path of relations between the two countries, except for the United States’ illegal sanctions, which you are fully aware that is against international regulations and Resolution 2231.

Therefore, unfortunately the US is putting pressure on other countries to choose between regulations and what the US administration wants.

We all know that the Resolution 2231 encourages all countries to have their normal economic and trade relations with Iran. If in the disagreements between us and the US, there is something that anybody doubts that Iran or the US is to blame, at least in the case of the recent sanctions nobody must have any doubt.

We had an agreement and everyone was committed to it, but the US withdrew from it without any reason.

Later, the Prime Minister of the Zionist Regime and the Saudi Prince announced that they pressurised Mr Trump to withdraw from the deal and this is one of the historic scandals to violate international regulations because of another country. We believe that this nuclear agreement is beneficial to all nations and governments.

The solution to this problem is nothing but that the US return from the wrong path it has taken.

One of the characteristics of we Iranians is that we might be little tough in negotiation and reaching agreements, but when we sign something, we will not violate our commitments under any circumstances.

In the nuclear agreement, we had at least 2 great achievements. The first was that we proved to the world that we are not seeking nuclear weapons, and we are ready to accept any kind of international monitoring if world powers treat us normally.

The second achievement was that we proved to the world that we live up to our commitments despite the fact that the other side did not live up to parts of its commitments or one of them fully withdrew from the deal.

Of course, we waited for a long time to see if our interests are met in this agreement, and then we have no choice but to live up to only some parts of our commitments, and naturally, our next decision may be not to continue living up to these commitments.

We believe that peace, security, stability and mutual human behaviour and peaceful coexistence will be beneficial for all countries around the world.

We have a very important geographical position and we are fully committed to our region and waterways. Over the past 2 centuries, Iran has never begun a war or invasion.

Today, as in the past, we detest war and we are willing to settle any problem with any country through negotiation. We have not been pursuing WMDs including nuclear weapons, and we will not do so. You know that both you and we are victims of WMDs. You were the victim of nuclear weapons and we were victim of chemical weapons.

But unfortunately, the US pressure on Iran and other countries is the bitter reality that we are facing today.

It is important to find a way to have trade and relations with each other and take steps in the interests of both nations in these hard times.

Despite the pressures of the United States in the past 1.5 years, we have been able to achieve stability in our economy. After an economic turmoil, our economy has found its route to stability since 5 months ago.

The inflation rate has been harnessed in the recent months and we believe that we will have good economic conditions next year.

We found a special mechanism in some countries to continue our economic relations without the banking system.

We have chosen the way of bartering energy with goods with some countries.

Japanese companies have a very good reputation in Iran and Iranians trust Japanese industry and companies.

We can have good cooperation in the fields of infrastructures, environment, and human issues, foodstuff and medicine.

Japanese companies can also invest in Iran and we can give them the required commitments in this regard.

We are sure that these illegal sanctions cannot continue in the long run and the Americans will have no choice but to abandon the fruitless path of sanctions.

We have no problem with talking with the US about our problems if they return from the wrong path that they have taken in the past 1.5 years.

After all, we should not hail someone who has done something wrong and violated the law, but in the meantime, we should not close the door, giving the wrongdoer the chance to compensate what he has done.

America claims that they have not created any problem for the Iranian nation’s access to foodstuff and medicine, but you know it well that when they disrupt the banking system, all our economic exchanges will have problems.

The Americans have made miscalculations. In Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine and everywhere, they have made miscalculations, including in Iran.

I believe that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s visit to Tehran this year during the 90th anniversary of political relations between the two countries indicates the two countries’ resolve and determination, and also my visit after 19 years are aimed at developing these relations.

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