Rouhani on the First Day of Sanctions Return: It’s Just Pressure on the People, Not Anyone Else

With the reimplementation of all U.S. sanctions against Iran starting early Monday, November 5, and amid U.S. officials stating that the goal of the sanctions is to pressure the Islamic Republic's government to change its behavior, the President of Iran says the pressure of these sanctions is solely on the shoulders of the Iranian people. According to ISNA news agency, Hassan Rouhani said on Monday during a meeting with the deputies and managers of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance: "Today, what the Americans are doing is simply pressure on the people, not on anyone else. It is pressure on the people and on other nations and on other companies and on other governments; today, we are not the only ones angry at U.S. policies; even European companies and governments are angry at U.S. policies." In this regard, despite the heavy pressure of U.S. sanctions on Iran's economy, Es'hagh Jahangiri, the First Vice President, said on Saturday: "We are a government that currently has very little foreign debt, and our government assets are very high, and in a way, we are a wealthy government." This is while sanctions have led to the devaluation of Iran's national currency and the bankruptcy of many industries in Iran, and people are even struggling to find baby diapers. Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the Supreme Leader, has also urged the Iranian people to learn from the Yemenis "how to... instead of wearing clothes, they carry weapons and have a few pieces of dry bread in their hands." The Iranian President continued on Monday by stating that "we are in a state of economic war today" and emphasized that Iran "will proudly break the sanctions" and that Tehran will sell its oil "in any condition." Hassan Rouhani also compared the "economic war conditions today" with the Iran-Iraq war era, saying: "Back then it was Saddam, today it is Trump." Rouhani added: "It is not us who wish for this period of U.S. rule to be very short; even our European allies tell me in meetings that one of their wishes is this." U.S. officials are set to announce the details of the sanctions and the temporary exemptions for some countries. The 180-day opportunity for countries and companies to cut their trade relations with Iran ended at midnight on Sunday, and all U.S. sanctions against Iran that were lifted under the JCPOA were reimplemented early Monday. Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, said on Monday morning at the first hours of the sanctions' return: "We announce that we will proudly circumvent your illegal and oppressive sanctions; because your sanctions are contrary to international regulations." Mr. Rouhani claimed that the U.S. has failed in its policy to bring Iran's oil sales to zero, stating: "Even if they did not announce failure and did not exempt countries, we would sell our oil and we will sell it in any condition." A day earlier, Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, noted that "over a million barrels of Iran's oil exports have been reduced" and said: "This figure will decrease further. There are countries that have reduced their oil imports from Iran but need more time to bring it to zero; we are moving in that direction." Mr. Pompeo is expected to announce details regarding the return of sanctions and how they will be implemented shortly. Rouhani: Leaders of Four Countries Mediated for a Meeting with Trump The Iranian President continued his remarks on Monday by saying that when he was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, "the leaders of four major countries came to mediate for me to meet with the President of the United States. This issue does not require mediation. We have no problem talking as long as our counterpart values their words, promises, and commitments." Mr. Rouhani said on Monday morning, "You fulfill your commitments, then we will talk; we have no problem talking, provided our counterpart is someone who values their words and promises." Donald Trump, the President of the United States, had previously stated that he is willing to negotiate with senior officials of the Islamic Republic without preconditions. Mr. Trump said two days ago, "There will come a time when the officials of the Islamic Republic will become very smart and return to negotiate. For a real and fair agreement that leads to their prosperity; we want their prosperity." The U.S. government is seeking a more comprehensive agreement than the JCPOA with Iran that covers various issues from the nuclear program to missile programs and Tehran's activities in the region. Mike Pompeo has put forward 12 conditions for reaching a new agreement with Iran. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic has repeatedly expressed his opposition to dialogue with the U.S. Israeli Reaction In the early moments of the day on Monday, the Israeli Defense Minister thanked Donald Trump for intensifying sanctions against Iran. Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli Defense Minister, tweeted: "The President's brave decision, Trump, is a fundamental decision that the Middle East has been waiting for. The United States, with one move, is delivering a significant blow to Iran's influence in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, and Yemen." In recent days, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has also praised Donald Trump's decision to reinstate all sanctions against Iran and expressed gratitude for this "historic decision" in a video message. Iranian Foreign Ministry Reaction On the other hand, officials from the Iranian Foreign Ministry also stated on Monday morning that despite the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the reinstatement of sanctions, the nuclear agreement is still "successful." Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, who went to the Parliament to answer two questions about the JCPOA, stated: "The JCPOA still preserves the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran." The Iranian Foreign Minister also pointed out that "the U.S. wanted Iran's oil sales to reach zero, but its allies opposed it," calling this a "success of the JCPOA." Bahram Qasemi, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, also said in his press conference that the European financial mechanism "has not expired and is progressing well." The European Union, which seeks to preserve the JCPOA, has announced that it is designing a special mechanism to protect European companies that wish to continue trading with Iran after recent discussions with Iran. However, several major European companies, such as Total, Peugeot-Citroën, Daimler, and Airbus, have ended their activities in Iran due to fears of U.S. sanctions.