Iran seeks ‘total removal’ and not ‘suspension’ of sanctions: Rouhani

 

Rouhani made the remarks on Sunday while addressing a number of officials.

 

The cornerstone of the nuclear talks has been the "total removal of economic, financial, and banking sanctions imposed on Iran and we have never discussed the ‘suspension’ of sanctions,” he said, adding that the world has also realized that the Iranian nation would never surrender to sanctions and pressure.   

 

"The people of Iran and [the people of] friendly states are happy with the [Lausanne] agreement while the unintelligent rivals and the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are unhappy with the attained outcomes,” he said in reference to the Thursday tentative agreement between Iran and the 5+1 group member states - the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany.

 

Rouhani also rebuffed speculation that a more powerful Iran would seek to dominate the region. "The Islamic Republic of Iran never seeks to assault any countries, and our contemporary history is well indicative of this fact. However, we would stand up for our rights against anyone who intends to harass [our] people’s rights.”

 

Certain countries and foreign officials opposed to the Iran nuclear talks have claimed that the Lausanne agreement, which is a preliminary step for a final nuclear deal, will give Iran a free hand to spread its influence in the region.

 

Elsewhere in his remarks, the president said the main objective of his administration in the new Persian calendar year is an economic boom, stating that such an objective could be metalized through "compassion and empathy” among the country’s officials and people.

 

"We should all join hands to lift the country to a position that its great Iranian nation [truly] deserves,” Rouhani said.

 

(Tehran Times)