IRGC Commander: Iran's Red Lines Accepted in Nuclear Negotiations

Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated on Saturday, April 22, that no binding agreement has yet been reached between Iran and the 1+5 group. He mentioned that in the nuclear understanding in Lausanne, Switzerland, the red lines of the Islamic Republic regarding technical discussions have been accepted by these countries. According to Mehr News Agency, during a gathering of regional commanders and provincial IRGC leaders, he asserted, "Whether the negotiations yield results and sanctions are lifted or not, the core values and slogans of the system must be preserved. Any flexibility must be within the framework of the principles and policies of the system, considering the dignity and power of the Islamic system and the interests of the Iranian people." Jafari emphasized that no binding agreement has been made yet, noting that "solutions have been reached, and it seems that the principles and red lines of the Islamic Republic in technical discussions have been accepted by the adversary, but there are still ambiguities regarding how sanctions will be lifted that need to be clarified. We must understand that this issue of how sanctions are lifted could also lead to a lack of agreement." Previously, Jafari praised the performance of the nuclear negotiating team, stating that they "defended the rights of the people in the diplomatic battle" and stood firm on the red lines. This comes as Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, stated on Thursday that he is neither in favor nor against the Lausanne agreement, adding that it is "meaningless" for some to send congratulatory messages regarding the negotiations. On April 2, Iran and the 1+5 countries announced in Lausanne that they had defined the "framework" for a final agreement. According to the Lausanne understanding, Iran's nuclear program will be limited in exchange for the lifting of all European Union and U.S. sanctions and United Nations Security Council resolutions against the Islamic Republic. The IRGC commander further commented on the differences between Iran and the U.S. regarding the Lausanne agreement and the "fact sheet," stating, "We must not fall for the enemy's tricks and, through incorrect analyses and appropriate or inappropriate criticisms, should not change the atmosphere in favor of the enemies or move in the direction of their psychological operations." Jafari added that if the negotiating team continues to operate within the established frameworks and principles of the system until the end, any outcome from the negotiations will be a victory for the revolutionary people of Iran. In recent days, Iranian and U.S. officials have expressed differing views on the timing of lifting Iran's sanctions. President Hassan Rouhani stated that "all sanctions and six Security Council resolutions will be lifted from the day the nuclear agreement is implemented." Meanwhile, Benjamin Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor at the White House, stated on Friday, April 21, that under the agreement reached between Iran and the 1+5 group, sanctions will be lifted gradually, not all at once.