Hassan Rouhani: No Re-negotiation on the JCPOA Will Take Place

The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran reacted to the statements of the elected President of the United States on the first anniversary of the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), stating that "re-negotiating nuclear talks makes no sense and no negotiations regarding the JCPOA will take place." Hassan Rouhani, speaking at a press conference with domestic and foreign journalists on Tuesday, January 28, added: "Negotiations were a precursor to the agreement and took years, starting from 2003. Various negotiations in this government also lasted about two and a half years, discussing every clause and word of the agreement, as if someone were to say they want to turn the shirt we have into cotton and re-spin it from the beginning." He defended the JCPOA while warning that "we stand against breaches of commitment." Iran and six world powers reached an agreement in July 2015 in Vienna, Austria, to resolve Tehran's nuclear program, under which Iran suspended many of its nuclear activities in exchange for the suspension or lifting of international sanctions against it. This agreement has been in effect since January of last year. Donald Trump, the elected President of the United States, during his election campaign, called the Iran nuclear deal the "worst deal ever" and stated that he would either renew negotiations on the JCPOA or tear it up. Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, have stated that if the U.S. tears up the JCPOA, we will burn it. In response to Mr. Trump's remarks, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran said: The JCPOA is not something that "one person or country can say they do not like." Regarding re-negotiating the JCPOA, Rouhani said: "Mr. Trump, as the elected President of the United States, has made statements about the JCPOA that he is not happy with or that this agreement is not a good one, etc. These are mostly slogans, and I doubt anything will happen in practice when he enters the White House because this agreement is not bilateral." Nevertheless, he predicted that perhaps in the future, "we may witness breaches of commitment regarding the JCPOA." In this press conference, Rouhani defended his government's performance over the past four years, referring to the JCPOA as one of the achievements of this government and added: "Nuclear sanctions have also been almost implemented in the public sector with the implementation of the JCPOA. We have no problems in oil and gas production, sales, and money transfers, and in oil investment, one of the contracts that may soon be finalized is close to five billion dollars." He also acknowledged that "there have been issues in the implementation" of this agreement over the past year, yet reminded his critics that national interests should always be considered. The President of the Islamic Republic commented on criticisms regarding the JCPOA expressed within Iran, stating: "Some people go to bed at night waiting for the JCPOA to fall apart." "We do not intend to interfere in the internal affairs of Saudi Arabia" Rouhani spoke about Tehran's relations with the Arab Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, and news regarding Kuwait and Iraq's mediation to resolve the differences between that country and Iran, stating: "It was Saudi Arabia that started the problem by attacking a neighboring country without any basis, and it is now in Saudi Arabia's interest to end the attacks on Yemen and interference in Bahrain." The Iranian President's remarks come as Riyadh also accuses Tehran of interfering in the affairs of Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. Both countries reject each other's accusations. Rouhani stated that Iran has no problem in bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, adding: "The problems stem from this country's interventions in Bahrain, the attack on Yemen, and interference in regional issues. Regarding the attack on the Saudi embassy, this country unilaterally severed its relations, and since then various countries have sought to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia, with Kuwait, Iraq, and officials from about eight other countries discussing this matter." He expressed hope that "the roots of the issue can be resolved because we want peace and stability in the region." Relations between Tehran and Riyadh were severed following the execution of a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia and the attacks on the diplomatic premises of that country in Tehran and Mashhad. Rouhani emphasized that "Iran does not intend to interfere in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs and does not want this country to be eliminated in the region," adding: "When Saudi Arabia attacks and intervenes in neighboring countries and terrorists use their resources, problems arise." Nevertheless, he said: "If Saudi Arabia makes decisions, we are also ready to help Saudi Arabia and create a more stable and united region." "Ceasefire and peace negotiations in Syria must continue" The Iranian President discussed the upcoming peace negotiations in Syria, scheduled for January 23 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, stating: "With the efforts of Iran, Syria, and Turkey, a ceasefire has been established in Syria, so if these three powers can establish a ceasefire among the groups fighting in Aleppo and all of Syria, it shows their influence, and such actions can lead to success." Rouhani emphasized the importance of "the agreement of the groups that are still active in Syria and the government of that country," stating: "If the Astana negotiations are successful in the first step, they must continue to achieve the final result and establish peace in Syria." He noted the absence of countries like Saudi Arabia in the Astana negotiations, saying: "Some countries that played a destructive role in Syria and supported terrorists are not present in the Astana negotiations." The six-year civil war in Syria has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced. Iran, along with Russia, is a main supporter of Bashar al-Assad's government. The support of these two countries for Assad's regime has drawn criticism from several regional countries and the West. However, Tehran claims it has only sent advisors to Syria. Meanwhile, according to statistics, more than a thousand of the forces sent by Iran to Syria have been killed. Iranian officials and media refer to these individuals as "Defenders of the Shrine."