Islam Times - Qalibaf: Lifting of Sanctions Important Not Washington’s Return to JCPOA

Islam Times - Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said what matters is the removal of sanctions, adding that the US’ returning to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is not important.

“The JCPOA is not a sacred agreement. It is just a deal to remove sanctions under the conditions accepted by the Islamic Republic,” Qalibaf said on Sunday, adding, “It does not matter for us if the US returns to the JCPOA, what matters is the practical and tangible lifting of sanctions.”

He said the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has “clarified the roadmap for all officials to fulfill the demands of people.”

“It became clear to everyone that the main strategy in the face of the enemy is to nullify sanctions, which is also a prelude to the lifting of sanctions,” the Speaker said, adding that to lift sanctions, Iran must increase its power in different sectors, including the nuclear industry.

Qalibaf warned the EU Troika that have been following the US’ wicked policies against Iran and said, "The Western front should know that it must recognize the rights of the Iranian people; or else, it should be prepared to pay the proportionate price."

In relevant remarks on Friday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said that the US must first lift all sanctions against Iran if it wants to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, stressing that the West is duty-bound to lift all wicked sanctions immediately.

“The United States should remove all sanctions prior to returning to the JCPOA,” the Supreme Leader said, adding that the US’ return to the nuclear deal before lifting of the sanctions will be to Iran’s detriment.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a live televised speech on the occasion of the January 9, 1978 uprising of the people of Qom which sparked the nationwide uprisings and the Islamic Revolution resulting in the overthrow of the dictatorial monarchy of the Pahlavi regime and establishment of the Islamic Republic in the country.

“The people’s movement on January 9 [1978] was the first blow of the ‘Abrahamic Axe’ on the body of the ‘Big Idol’,” he said, adding, “This movement continued so that you can see the situation of the Big Idol [The US] now. This is their election system. This is their human rights condition, every few hours or days, a black man is killed with no guilt. These are the American values that have become the source of ridicule and this is their paralyzed economy with missions of jobless and hungry people.”

“The Western front is duty-bound to end this malicious move, namely the sanctions, and stop it instantly,” the Supreme Leader stressed, adding, “Yet, we should design the economy in a way that we would administer the country even with the sanctions.”

Ayatollah Khamenei made it clear that the sanctions are gradually becoming ineffective.

“As for our regional presence, our establishment has the duty to behave in a way that its friends are strengthened in the region,” he said, and added, “Our presence is a source of stability, and this has been proved in the issue of ISIL and the like, while the US is a source of instability and Iran is standing against the US destabilizing moves.”

“Today, our defense power is in a way that our enemies have no choice but to consider Iran’s abilities in their calculations,” Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say, noting, “We should not leave the country defenseless as it emboldens the enemy.”

Elaborating on the JCPOA, the Supreme Leader said that Iran’s obligations should be completely proportionate to the measures of the US and Europe which have not fulfilled any of their commitments.

In the end of his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei lauded the Iranian breakthrough in producing the coronavirus vaccine, saying, “The vaccine that has been prepared for the coronavirus is a source of honor and dignity.”

“The entrance of the American and British vaccine is banned. Had the Americans been able to produce a[n effective] vaccine, this scandal would not have occurred in their own country,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, warning, “I really don’t trust in them. Sometimes, they want to test the vaccine on other nations. I am not optimistic on France, either, because they have the precedence of contaminated bloods.”