Rouhani: Even if 10 more Trumps emerge, the benefits of the JCPOA are irreversible

Hassan Rouhani stated on Saturday, October 7, during a speech to students that the Islamic Republic has achieved "irreversible benefits" in the Vienna nuclear agreement. According to the IRNA news agency, he emphasized: "We have reached points and benefits in the JCPOA that are irreversible. No one can reverse it, neither Mr. Trump nor anyone else; even if 10 more Trumps emerge, they are irreversible." Rouhani also mentioned that the Islamic Republic has taken its "nuclear rights" from "the streets to Vienna and New York" and that "this is irreversible and will not return." Rouhani's remarks came after reports about the possibility of the U.S. government not certifying Iran's compliance with the Vienna nuclear agreement. A senior U.S. official had told Reuters on Thursday, October 5, that Donald Trump would not certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal with six world powers, effectively leaving the fate of the JCPOA to Congress. Reports indicate that Trump is likely to speak on October 12 regarding the U.S. approach to the nuclear agreement with Iran. Meanwhile, Sarah Sanders, White House spokesperson, stated on Friday, October 6, that Trump will consider all of Iran's behaviors, including missile tests, support for terrorism, and cyberattacks, in determining a new U.S. strategy towards Iran. The U.S. President also mentioned on Thursday, before his meeting with the Secretary of Defense and senior military officials, that there must be a halt to Iran's "continuous hostility and nuclear ambitions." He emphasized: "Iran must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons; the Iranian government supports terrorism and spreads violence, bloodshed, and chaos throughout the Middle East," accusations that Iran denies. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, stated on Thursday, October 5, to Al Jazeera in New York that if the U.S. exits the JCPOA, Iran also has this option and others available. Zarif also mentioned in an interview with Newsweek that Iran has made decisions regarding various scenarios and is evaluating the conditions and reactions of other parties, including the European Union and the U.S. Congress. He deemed renegotiating the nuclear agreement impossible and emphasized that resuming negotiations would be like reopening a Pandora's box that cannot be closed. In his Saturday speech, the Iranian President also criticized his internal opponents, saying: "Why do some speak incorrectly with the people? Today, if the U.S. commits a violation, the whole world will condemn the U.S., not Iran." Referring to criticisms regarding trust in the U.S., he stated that the Prophet of Islam also made many treaties with infidels, and each time they violated them. Rouhani added: "God forbid anyone would say the Prophet was naive; well, when he made the first treaty, he saw that the infidels violated it, so why did he make the second one?" The Iranian President emphasized that "standing by the covenant is not detrimental to the covenant-maker, but the one who violates the covenant undermines their own dignity and credibility." Despite the Supreme Leader's approval of the Vienna nuclear agreement, he and his close associates continue to criticize it. Ayatollah Khamenei and his associates have also called this agreement "pure loss" and emphasized that its only "benefit" is proving what they claim is "U.S. dishonesty." Khamenei has also criticized what he calls the "haste" to reach a nuclear agreement and has attributed some U.S. actions after this agreement, including the extension of non-nuclear sanctions against Iran, to this "haste."