President: No Retreat from Iran’s Rightful Demands

Addressing a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Raisi hit back at the US officials for accusing Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal, saying, “The Americans have said that Iran should return to the JCPOA, while the Islamic Republic has never withdrawn from the JCPOA and it was the US that reneged on its commitments.”

Iran will never retreat from its rightful and logical stances, the president underlined, advising the US to learn lessons from the past, observe the realities and avoid repeating the failed experience of maximum pressure on the Iranian nation.

“The Americans have repeatedly announced that the pressure they have imposed on the Iranian nation has been unprecedented and maximum, but the spokesperson for the State Department of that country has declared officially that such pressures have not been effective by any means and have failed in a complete fiasco,” Raisi added.

He also highlighted Iran’s rational behavior in the talks on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying the Iranian team of negotiators has not put in any request outside the frameworks.

Pointing to visits by the US officials to West Asian countries, the Iranian president said such visits that are aimed at strengthening the Israeli regime’s position and backing the normalization of ties between the Zionists and a number of the regional states could not ensure the security of the Zionist regime.

He emphasized that Iran is closely monitoring the regional developments and does not neglect any move. “We have made it clear several times for those passing on messages from the Americans that the tiniest action against Iran’s territorial integrity will draw our decisive reaction.”

His comments came as US President Joe Biden is en route to the Israeli-occupied territories to kick off a controversial trip to the Middle East region. He spends two days in occupied al-Quds for talks with Israeli officials before heading to the West Bank. Afterward, he will take a direct flight to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah on the Red Sea for talks with Saudi officials and to take part in a summit of Persian Gulf allies.