Rouhani: Violating the Nuclear Agreement Will Be Detrimental to All

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, once again defended the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, stating that this agreement has been "in the interest of all countries and global peace, security, stability, and development" and that "violating it will be detrimental to all." On Wednesday, July 23, during a cabinet meeting, Rouhani warned that "whoever seeks to initiate a violation of the JCPOA will be a political loser on the international stage." These remarks by Rouhani, published on the official website of the presidency, were made on the anniversary of the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Although senior officials in Rouhani's government defend the nuclear agreement, they have recently claimed that the U.S. has obstructed the full implementation of its provisions or the benefits of it. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has described this agreement, referred to as the JCPOA in Iran, as a "total loss." Nevertheless, the Iranian president defends this agreement. Rouhani stated that "if the pre-JCPOA trend" had continued, Iran's oil sales would have "reached zero." He also added that without the nuclear agreement, "sanctions and threats would have increased day by day, and Iran's nuclear activities would have been deemed illegal." The accusation of U.S. obstruction in the implementation of the JCPOA is made by the Islamic Republic, while U.S. officials reject this claim, stating that they have acted "beyond their commitments" in the nuclear agreement. Senior U.S. officials have also asked major banks worldwide to establish legal transactions with Iran. The U.S. government defends the nuclear agreement with Iran, stating that its implementation prevented the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons and guaranteed the security of the U.S. and its allies. Alan Eyre, the Persian spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, emphasized in an interview with the Iranian ILNA news agency that "the Obama administration has been committed to transparency and clarity in informing and has not shied away from any effort." Eyre also stressed that "it is evident that even with complete information about the JCPOA and U.S. laws, international companies and banks weigh the ease of the business environment in Iran in their assessments." The U.S. claims that the nuclear agreement lifted or suspended nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, but sanctions related to the Islamic Republic's support for terrorism and money laundering remain in place. The Persian spokesperson for the U.S. State Department also emphasized that despite "some problems and obstacles" in implementing the JCPOA, this agreement remains in place. In Tehran, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has also accused the U.S. of "breaching its commitments" in implementing the nuclear agreement, stating, "The Americans have engaged in hostage-taking and are breaching their commitments under the pretext of supporting terrorists." Rafsanjani added, "If we support the Palestinians, they are the most oppressed people in the world, and if we support Hezbollah in Lebanon, it is to limit the threat of Israel in the country." A court in the U.S. recently ruled that $2 billion in compensation from Iran's frozen assets in the country should be paid to victims of attacks by groups like Hezbollah. Alan Eyre, the Persian spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, emphasized in a conversation with ILNA that "the U.S. government's view is that this ruling is consistent with international law and does not violate the JCPOA." In this regard, a meeting between the Central Bank of Iran, the U.S. Treasury, and international banks has been postponed. The White House has warned that three new congressional proposals regarding Iran will be vetoed. After the JCPOA, "human rights continue to face serious challenges."