Khamenei: If Lifting Sanctions Is Conditional on Ideological Issues, No Official Will Accept It

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, acknowledged that international sanctions against Iran have "created problems for the country" and urged officials to take the "weapon of sanctions" away from what he called the "enemy." He reiterated that he is not opposed to negotiations but added that "hearts must be placed on real points of hope, not on imaginary ones." According to ISNA news agency, the leader stated on Wednesday, January 7: "Sanctions have created problems for the country, but if the enemy conditions the lifting of them on certain fundamental and ideological issues, such as abandoning Islam and independence and scientific progress, certainly no official's honor will accept it." He added: "Of course, the enemy currently does not explicitly target ideals, but if there is a retreat, they will eventually come after the ideals, so it is necessary to understand the goals of the enemy's proposals, words, and actions with vigilance." Khamenei's statement that "sanctions have created problems for the country" comes despite his previous assertions about the ineffectiveness of Western sanctions against Iran. For instance, on December 6, he described the "real goal" of Western sanctions as "stopping Iran's progress" and stated: "However, unlike the U.S., if negotiations do not reach an agreement, the sky will not fall for us because we have a solution called resilient economy." On December 4, the leader also said, one day after the extension of nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 group, that "the enemy could not bring the Islamic Republic to its knees in the nuclear issue and will not be able to do so." Over the past year, officials from Hassan Rouhani's government have repeatedly spoken about the impact of Western sanctions on Iran's economy and industry. For example, Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, the Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated in mid-summer that "it became clear that the paper scraps have been effective." Khamenei further stated that safeguarding Iran against sanctions is the only way to limit the maneuvering power of the so-called "enemy" and added: "The real meaning of a resilient economy is this, and achieving this is the main duty of the country's officials." He addressed the officials of the Islamic Republic, saying: "You must take the weapon of sanctions out of the enemy's hands because if you keep your eyes on the enemy's hands, the sanctions will remain as they are, just as the Americans today shamelessly say that if Iran concedes even a little in the nuclear issue, the sanctions will not be lifted all at once." Islamic Republic officials have repeatedly mentioned the lifting of all Western sanctions as one of Iran's conditions in nuclear negotiations. Khamenei also emphasized the necessity of cutting dependence on oil revenues, stating: "The country's officials and government must not look to foreigners and know that even one step back will lead to advances for the enemy." Some conservative representatives in the Iranian parliament link the drop in oil prices to Iran's nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 group. For instance, Massoud Mir Kazemi, a former oil minister and member of the Energy Commission of the parliament, said on Sunday, January 4, that the U.S. manages the oil market and has lowered oil prices to increase pressure on Iran in nuclear negotiations. In another part of his speech, the leader said: "Everyone must help the government, but government officials must also be careful not to create margins and, while refraining from making unnecessary statements, should not create division and strive to properly utilize the unity, faith, and determination of the nation." In recent days, remarks by Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, regarding conducting referendums on important issues have drawn severe criticism from conservatives and close associates of the Supreme Leader. The editorial of the Kayhan newspaper on Tuesday, January 6, written by Mohammad Imani, interpreted Rouhani's remarks as an "attack on the parliament, state media, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." On Sunday, January 4, Rouhani called for a referendum on "important economic, social, political, and cultural issues" while referring to the country's constitution. He also stated that "the economy in the country does not progress with monopoly" and reiterated that "if an issue is monopolized by a specific group, corruption will arise, even if it is Salman and Abu Dharr." The Supreme Leader at the beginning of his remarks said: "The opposing front of the Islamic system had hoped for the second and third generation of the revolution to turn away from the Islamic revolution, but it was this third generation and the youth of the country who created the great event of December 30 and delivered a strong slap to those who tried to divert the path of the revolution with sedition." December 30, 2009, saw demonstrations in support of the government following months of protests after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's election victory. Supporters of the Islamic Republic's conservatives have since referred to these demonstrations as the "Epic of December 30."