Rouhani: Sanctions are a Rusty Weapon

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, described sanctions as a 'rusty weapon' on Thursday and stated that Iran's economic programs will proceed 'with strength' and 'without being affected by sanctions.' According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Mr. Rouhani made these remarks during a joint interview with Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, on November 13, stating that 'rusty weapons like sanctions are no longer effective, and we must work together for development and establishing peace and stability in the world.' The UN Security Council sanctions against Iran were approved and implemented during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency as a tool to compel the Islamic Republic to halt uranium enrichment. The United States and the European Union also imposed unprecedented sanctions against Iran's crude oil sales and banking system. Mr. Rouhani's comments about sanctions come at a time when Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of the Islamic Republic of Iran, noted in mid-summer that 'it has become clear that the pieces of paper have had an impact.' The minister's reference is to remarks made by former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2006, who labeled the UN Security Council sanctions as 'pieces of paper' that 'cannot stop the progress of the Iranian nation.' Mr. Rouhani also emphasized that 'from the perspective of the Iranian government, a win-lose situation will never last, so planning must always be based on win-win and be long-term and sustainable.' His comments come as Abbas Araqchi, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, stated on Tuesday, November 10, after the conclusion of nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 countries in Muscat, that 'Iran is still not in a position to say that progress has been made.' According to previous agreements, the deadline for Iran and the P5+1 countries to reach a comprehensive agreement ends on December 3. Meanwhile, Reuters has reported, citing Iranian and Western official sources, that 'it is unlikely that Iran and the P5+1 will reach a final agreement on the Islamic Republic's nuclear file by the December 3 deadline.' Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the Deputy for Planning and Strategic Supervision of the Iranian President, announced on Monday, November 10, that three separate budgets for the year 1394 (2015) have been drafted, which are designed for 'normal, bad, and positive' conditions of Iran's nuclear negotiations. Mr. Nobakht also mentioned on July 9 that the government had decided to prepare 'a plan for pessimistic conditions and even intensification of sanctions.' Mr. Rouhani, who traveled to Azerbaijan on Wednesday, November 12, stated during a meeting with traders and merchants from both countries that 'we have learned from sanctions that prioritizing trade relations and joint investments with neighbors is essential, and based on this, we are more determined today than yesterday to move forward in this path.' He added, 'Another lesson we have learned from the pressure of sanctions is that Western countries are not trustworthy, and in times of pressure and danger, they abandon their counterparts for trivial reasons and even trample on their own interests, but neighboring countries do not act this way.'