Rouhani on the JCPOA: We Strived to Leave No Word from the Leader Unaddressed

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, emphasized once again that the nuclear negotiations were conducted within the specific frameworks set by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. He stated that the Iranian negotiators made every effort to ensure that 'no word from him was left unaddressed.' On Monday, February 8, during a ceremony honoring the families of nuclear martyrs and the achievers of the JCPOA, Rouhani recalled the various stages of the nuclear negotiations, the challenges faced, and the efforts his government made to reach the Vienna nuclear agreement. He reiterated the importance of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's 'guidance' in this regard. Rouhani mentioned that Khamenei's directives played a crucial role in achieving the agreement, stating, 'Whenever we requested a meeting with him and sought advice, he never hesitated and shared all his experiences with us and guided us.' He added, 'He provided clear and specific frameworks for the negotiators, who worked tirelessly and endured many hardships to ensure that no word from the Supreme Leader was left unaddressed.' The Iranian President awarded first-class medals of 'merit, management, and courage' to Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization, and Hossein Dehghan, his Minister of Defense. He further stated, 'I asked the Foreign Minister not to let any word from the Supreme Leader go unaddressed, and Mr. Zarif, with his courage, capability, resilience, and expertise, accomplished this great task.' In response to opponents of the nuclear agreement who claim that his government has only opened the way for foreign consumer goods imports to Iran, Rouhani said, 'Do not lie to the people,' adding, 'Contrary to what some naively say, what we will gain for the Iranian nation after the JCPOA is not foreign-made goods instead of domestic products, but investment, technology, and participation to capture new markets.' Rouhani also thanked the clergy, heads of the judiciary and legislative branches, the National Security Council, and former presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mohammad Khatami, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for their efforts to serve the people during their administrations. Concurrently, Mohammad Javad Zarif, his Foreign Minister, also emphasized the role of Ayatollah Khamenei in reaching the nuclear agreement, stating, 'We must intelligently and vigilantly monitor the actions of the other side, ensuring that especially factions seeking tension and conflict cannot obstruct the implementation of the JCPOA.' Opponents of the nuclear agreement in the United States, mainly Republicans opposing the Obama administration, have attempted to create obstacles to its implementation by proposing measures in Congress. Ayatollah Khamenei, on January 19, three days after the announcement of the Vienna nuclear agreement, wrote in response to Rouhani's letter regarding the outcome of the nuclear negotiations and the lifting of sanctions, 'We have paid heavy costs in this deal, and it must be ensured that the other side fully fulfills its commitments...' On the other hand, in one of the latest instances of opposition to the JCPOA, Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor-in-chief of the Kayhan newspaper, referred to a trend that has 'created groups under the guise of moderate conservatism,' stating that such a title is 'meaningless.' He continued, 'They are trying to gain popularity among the people by presenting balloon-like achievements that have the sweetness of chewing gum. For example, they claim to have lifted the ominous shadow of war from the nation or say they have fulfilled all their promises, while the reality is quite different.' The representative of Ayatollah Khamenei in Kayhan added, 'This trend praises some of its actions, such as the JCPOA, as achievements, while these achievements are all hollow and empty.' He emphasized, 'They describe the JCPOA as a great victory, a miracle, and unparalleled in history, and with this, they are trying to create the perception among the people that they should vote for them again.'