Rouhani Refers to Implementation of JCPOA: We Are the Only Exceptional Case in the World

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated: "In the history of the United Nations, no country has been taken to the Security Council under Chapter Seven and Articles 41 and 42 unless either the government of that country was overthrown, or war was imposed on that nation, or that nation was completely surrendered. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only exceptional case." Mr. Rouhani, who was speaking at a ceremony titled "Implementation of the JCPOA; A New Chapter in Iran's Economy" on Tuesday morning, January 29, added: "From now on, the work of the Agency {International Atomic Energy Agency} with us will be the usual work they have with all countries, in addition to overseeing the implementation of the JCPOA." The President of Iran had also mentioned in a letter to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, the import of over 200 tons of yellowcake uranium to Iran, Iran's joining the group of uranium-exporting countries, the cancellation of 12 resolutions and five decisions of the IAEA Board of Governors, the cancellation of six Chapter Seven resolutions of the UN Security Council, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of Iran's frozen assets as some of the achievements of the implementation of the comprehensive nuclear agreement or JCPOA. January 27 was announced as the day the implementation of the nuclear agreement began after the IAEA confirmed that the Islamic Republic had fulfilled all its commitments to limit its nuclear program. According to Fars News Agency, Mr. Rouhani also referred to the nuclear negotiations with global powers as "a very complex and intertwined issue" where "one side was the conspiracies of imperialism and Zionism, and the other side were their incompetent rivals and enemies in this land and this region." The President of Iran added that "extremist individuals always tried in Washington and New York to never let this day be recorded in history" and stated: "Many wanted the end of the successful negotiations not to happen. They went to Geneva and Vienna on a private plane, talked, and said they would lower the oil price and bring Iran to its knees." It seems that these remarks by Hassan Rouhani are another reference from him to Saudi Arabia's role in reducing this important product in international markets. The President of Iran also referenced one of Benjamin Netanyahu's speeches at the United Nations General Assembly, stating: "They showed a bomb on a board to the representatives of the nations of the world and said do not trust Iran." Mr. Rouhani also referred to the opponents of negotiations with global powers over the nuclear program within Iran, saying: "Many came and said whenever we negotiated, we were deceived, and our negotiations never led us anywhere." These remarks were made while the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic had repeatedly emphasized that he is not optimistic about negotiations with global powers to resolve Iran's nuclear crisis, stating that these negotiations "will not lead anywhere." The President of Iran also mentioned the "jealousies and rivalries" among the three European countries involved in negotiations with Iran as another reason for the difficulties in the nuclear talks. Mr. Rouhani emphasized that if "anyone other than" Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, had been in charge of the nuclear negotiations, these talks "would not have reached this point." The President of Iran thanked Mr. Khamenei for his "trust" in Mohammad Javad Zarif and for accepting the transfer of nuclear negotiations from the Supreme National Security Council to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating: "I told the Leader that when I transfer the issue from the Security Council Secretariat to the Foreign Ministry, I send a message to the world that the nuclear issue is not a security issue but a political one, and this movement in this direction greatly helps us to succeed."