Qasemi: Iran not concerned with renewal of sanctions

Tehran, Dec 5, IRNA – Foreign Minister spokesman Bahram Qasemi said the Iranian government will defend the rights of its nation and is not concerned with the renewal of sanctions. During his Monday morning press briefing, the diplomat said that the violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is not an issue which could easily happen. Asked about Sunday meeting between Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi and the US Energy Minister Ernest Moniz in Vienna, Qasemi said such meetings are held on a regular basis and that the meeting between the Iranian and US officials was held for a certain reason. Salehi and Moniz are currently in Vienna to take part in the International Conference on Nuclear Security to be held there December 5-9 by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The spokesman also commented on the move made by the US Congress on December 1st for passing a legislation to renew the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA). That was nothing unusual with the US as a country which is used to having violent and non-realistic behavior towards other countries, Iran in particular has made many bitter and irresponsible measures to the nation in the past 37 years. He said that Tehran 'is not going to go with predictions about the future actions of the next US government;' rather, he said Tehran will wait to see the domestic developments inside the US. Based on past experiences, he said, the US President Barack Obama was expected to veto the new US Congress decision but based on sporadic reports coming from the US, it seems that he is not willing to do so this time. Referring to the Sunday remarks of President Hassan Rouhani regarding the JCPOA and how Tehran is to react to the US new move, Qasemi said the move by the US Congress was a clear disrespect to the previously made agreements and is totally unacceptable and a clear offense. Qasemis said everybody knows that the JCPOA is not a bilateral agreement but a document between a number of major countries which included five world powers as well as 28 European countries given the presence of the head of European Union in the process. He said the document has been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council and has the support of the Non-Aligned Movement member states and many other countries so it is not easy to violate the agreement. He said the US, like other world countries, is not entitled and 'has no power to move against the JCPOA and contradict it.' As a nation with a rich civilization which has built its legal system on the rules of Holy Islam, Iranians are not to violate the nuclear document and neglect their duties towards the agreement, the spokesman stressed. If ever any country, whether the US or others, embark on violating the JCPOA, then 'Iran will have a free hand to act vigilantly' like when it had just joined the negotiations and had necessary precautions in mind. 1378/IRNA