United Nations, SAEDNEWS, Feb. 20: “We as the beneficiary country should verify the removal of sanctions by the Americans; meaning that if the Americans say that they have lifted sanctions on Iran’s oil and petrochemicals, we cannot be satisfied with the mere endorsement of a letter or statement of positions (by the US),” Takht Ravanchi said in an interview with the Persian-language Khamenei.ir website on Saturday.
"During the Obama administration, we also sent reports to the JCPOA coordinator, protesting the actions of the United States at that time against its obligations," he said.
"Now, they have imposed three kinds of sanctions on us. If even one of these remains in place, there is no point for a US return to the JCPOA," the envoy added.
"It is of no value to just say that I am ready to return to the JCPOA if the sanctions are not lifted in practice," the Iranian diplomat said.
He added that if it is announced that the embargos on Iranian oil have been lifted, there should be guarantees that there will be no problem for oil sales, and the buyer can be able to easily transfer the money to Iran through the global banking system.
"The Europeans told us to wait and they would compensate for the withdrawal of the US. But not only they did not compensate, but also they defied fulfilling their own nuclear deal undertakings,” Takht Ravanchi said.
In relevant remarks on February 7, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said that his country will not take steps to return to its nuclear deal undertakings unless it will be able to verify the US practical measures in removing the sanctions against Tehran.
"Iran has fulfilled all its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal, not the US and the three European countries ... If they want Iran to return to its commitments, the US must lift all sanctions first," Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing the Iranian Army Air Force commanders and staff on the anniversary of the historical pledging allegiance of Air Force commanders with late Imam Khomeini in 1979.
He underlined that the side with the right to set conditions to return to the JCPOA undertakings is Iran since it abided by all its commitments, not the US or the 3 European countries which breached theirs, adding, “If they want Iran to return, the US should lift all sanctions. We'll verify and if it's done properly, we’ll return to our undertakings."
“This is the definite policy of the Islamic Republic and it is also agreed upon by the officials of the country and we will not return from this policy,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, stressing that no one in Iran listens to what the US and European officials say about preconditions for lifting sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said last Monday that his country will halt the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on February 23 in case other parties continue to defy their nuclear deal undertakings.
“The Iranian government is required to suspend the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol next week, according to the parliament approval, if the obligations of the other parties have not been fulfilled by that day. This move does not take time and can be implemented in a day,” Khatibzadeh told reporters in a press conference in Tehran.
“Accordingly, inspections beyond the safeguards agreements will be stopped, and this means the supervisions that Iran has accepted within the framework of the Additional Protocol and it does not mean stopping all supervisions. Iran will keep fulfilling some of the inspections, but the Additional Protocol will definitely be stopped,” he added.
Yet, Khatibzadeh underlined that Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue and will inform the IAEA of its moves in a letter, reiterating that all the actions done by Iran are easily reversible, provided that the other parties return to their obligations.
“Unfortunately, the US continues to follow the wrong path of the previous administration, and what is happening today is no different from what was underway before January 20, and the maximum pressure and crime against the Iranian people and disregard for international laws continues today too,” he added.
Only Practical Removal of Sanctions against Tehran Can Revive JCPOA
