Rouhani: During Sanctions, Our Hand Was Reached Out to Others

Hassan Rouhani stated that during the sanctions, Iran's hand was extended to others and that these sanctions did not bring dignity to the country. The President of Iran emphasized on Tuesday, August 2, that the Vienna nuclear agreement brought dignity to Iran, stating that during the sanctions, 'our hand was always outstretched to others, and sanctions did not bring us dignity.' Rouhani also defined being 'revolutionary' as having a 'free nation with freedom of thought, expression, and criticism' and being 'dependent on the people's vote.' According to ISNA news agency, Rouhani made these remarks at the 50th anniversary celebration of the National Iranian Gas Company, saying, 'In dealing with countries and various parties, whether we are under pressure and need or in a position of power, it will affect how the other side deals with us.' He added, 'In a sanctions environment, our hand was always outstretched to others, and sanctions did not bring us dignity, but the first thing that the JCPOA brought us was dignity.' Rouhani emphasized that after the Vienna nuclear agreement, Iran is free to choose dozens of countries for trade instead of just 'two countries.' He stated, 'When a power tells us you have the right to sell one million and ten barrels of oil and only allow you to sell one million barrels of oil, it is against dignity and bullying against the nation, and the JCPOA meant removing coercion and sanctions and freeing the will of a nation.' Officials in Rouhani's government have repeatedly spoken about the 'destructive' impacts of Western sanctions on Iran's economy and industry in recent years. However, some close associates of the Supreme Leader, including Kazem Sedighi, the Friday prayer leader of Tehran, have referred to Western sanctions against Iran as a 'blessing' and criticized Iran's contracts with foreign countries after the Vienna nuclear agreement. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, also emphasized on April 6 that the Vienna nuclear agreement 'is never a document of honor' and that the people accepted it 'reluctantly.' Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly stressed that the results of the visits of European governments and companies and their negotiations with Iran after the Vienna nuclear agreement 'have not been felt so far.' On Saturday, July 16, the Iranian Foreign Ministry reported to the parliament that 'some brokers who have profited greatly from the sanctions conditions' are 'taking every opportunity to undermine and destroy the post-JCPOA conditions, using and even exacerbating internal political atmospheres.' Meanwhile, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Council, announced that a group in Iran is seeking to 'violate' the Vienna nuclear agreement. Rouhani further defined being 'revolutionary' as being 'dependent on the people's vote' and added that revolution means 'being independent and relying on the people's vote and that we should only bow our heads before our own people.' He stated that today 'we can see freedom of expression well in the real and virtual space,' adding, 'The government's insistence on keeping social networks open and enduring many pressures in this regard was for this reason.' The President of Iran added, 'The government provided suitable bandwidth for the Iranian people so that they could be informed and express their opinions, criticize decisions, and have their will prevail in the country.' Rouhani's remarks come at a time when Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly emphasized the need to adhere to 'revolutionary thought.' For instance, on Saturday night, June 18, during a meeting with several university professors, he warned that universities should remain 'revolutionary' and should not support 'anti-revolutionary tendencies.' The Supreme Leader has also emphasized in recent months that all institutions of the Islamic Republic, including the Assembly of Experts and seminaries, must remain 'revolutionary.' The activities of social networks, holding concerts, and other cultural programs, as well as some of the government's actions in foreign and domestic policy, are among the points of contention between Rouhani's government and institutions under the Supreme Leader's supervision. The President of Iran also announced that the government plans to export 200 million cubic meters of natural gas daily to neighboring countries through LNG. He emphasized that shared oil and gas resources have 'high importance' in terms of exploitation. Azizollah Ramazani, the international affairs manager of the National Gas Company, had previously reported that by 2021, an annual export of at least 68 billion cubic meters of gas is planned. According to OPEC reports, Iran exported 8.4 billion cubic meters and imported 9 billion cubic meters of gas last year. Official reports indicate that Iran currently produces 735 million cubic meters of raw gas daily, of which approximately 35 million cubic meters is flared, and about 90 million cubic meters is injected into oil wells to maintain oil production. Iran has 27 shared oil and gas fields with neighboring countries, almost all of which are shared with Arab countries. It is said that 30% of Iran's gas reserves and 20% of its oil reserves are in shared fields. Meanwhile, according to statistics provided by Iranian officials, Arab countries produce 7 to 8 times more oil and gas from shared fields than Iran. Amir Hossein Zamani Nia, the Deputy Minister of International Affairs and Commerce of Iran's Ministry of Oil, announced at a conference on Sunday, July 10, that the priority in granting oil fields under the new model is 'with shared fields and increasing the recovery factor of oil fields.' In this context, the Minister of Economy announced the signing of a $45 billion memorandum of understanding for financing resources.