Religious leaders support diplomatic initiatives of Iran foreign minister

Senior religious leaders in separate meetings with Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif on Thursday praised diplomatic initiatives of the foreign minister about nuclear dispute with the western governments which culminated in the context of the JCPOA.

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Vahid Khorassani said: You are both hardworking and a good thinker. Your diplomacy resembles an art, which is praiseworthy and the people should dully appreciate you. Those who think over the value of your work, they understand your performance.

Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makaram-Shirazi said: No sound mind will question the usefulness of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and had it not been thanks to your hard work and serious efforts it would have never been reached.

‘Your efforts will be recorded in history, although some people might not appreciate them today. You made possible a mission deemed impossible so far,’ he added.

Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi-Gopayegani said: The tiresome nuclear talks bore fruit thanks to your tireless and praiseworthy efforts. I personally thank you and your colleagues and so do the Iranian people.

‘Act similarly in case of the regional and international issues, as we are after holding dialogues with the world nations to contribute to the international peace. We should not act in a way to let the others introduce another image of us to please Iran’s ill-wishers,’ he said.

Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi-Amoli said: I believe those who say we lost some benefits and gained some bonuses are wrong. I say we did not lose anything in the nuclear talks. The other side intended to deprive us of the capability of manufacturing nuclear bombs, while although we could make such bombs we were never willing to.
‘We wished to keep the nuclear technology for medical, agricultural and other scientific purposes, which are all safeguarded for us, so in practice we have been the big winners of the nuclear deal,’ he said.

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri-Hamedani said: One of the people who have managed to take steps in the way of Islamic strength relying on wisdom, culture, commitment and piety is Foreign Minister Zarif.

‘In fact the nuclear team managed to show Islam’s prestige, Islamic Revolution’s might, and Iran’s sound logic to the world in the course of the negotiations with the world powers,’ he added.

Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Abdolkarim Mousavi-Ardebili said: In a peaceful atmosphere of logic and understanding bearing results is possible, but in a chaotic atmosphere the opposite is true.

He prayed for the success and continuation of the successful efforts of the Iranian diplomats.

Zarif said in the meetings that the atmosphere needs to be ready to enjoy the benefits of the JCPOA, lest Iran and the Iranians will lose the opportunities that are provided for them.

He criticized some regional politicians for their support for terrorism and extremism, stressing the need for collective action of the international community to uproot terrorism.