Iraqchi: Some Seek to Return the Country to Pre-Negotiation Conditions

Abbas Araqchi, a senior member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team, likened international sanctions against Tehran to a 'very heavy economic war' on Thursday, stating that some are seeking to return the country to conditions prior to nuclear negotiations. According to 'Tasnim', Araqchi, speaking at a ceremony in 'Sarakh', the birthplace of Hassan Rouhani in Semnan province, stated that Iran has been under the most severe sanctions for years, experiencing a period of recession, high inflation, and instability in the economy, with the country's banks cut off from global banking networks. He emphasized that 'there was a very heavy economic war against' Iran during the sanctions, and if we think that the sanctions, which have exposed our country to various economic damages for 12 years, will be lifted suddenly, we must understand that repairing the damages, creating jobs, reviving the economy, and returning to previous conditions will take time, and no one expects the situation to suddenly revert to its former state. Araqchi noted, 'Some are still seeking to return the country to the state before the negotiations.' According to IRNA, the senior member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team also stated that the government is trying to prevent those who profited from the sanctions and are currently seeking to obstruct the outcome of the JCPOA from achieving results. This official from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide further details about these individuals, but officials from Hassan Rouhani's government have repeatedly referred to a group of opponents of the Vienna nuclear agreement as 'sanction profiteers', stating that they have benefited from Western sanctions against Iran and are unhappy with the Vienna nuclear agreement and the lifting of sanctions. In another part of his speech, Araqchi emphasized that Rouhani's government is working hard to rebuild the 12 years of damage caused by sanctions and to return to the conditions before the sanctions. Araqchi stated that oil sales have doubled today, banks are returning to the international banking network, and financial and currency transfers are taking place. Iran and six world powers reached an agreement on July 14 last year to end the dispute over the country's nuclear program by agreeing to significantly reduce Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international nuclear sanctions against the Islamic Republic. This agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has been implemented since January of last year.