Sanctions will hurt West but not Iran

Iran’s first vice president has downplayed the effect of the sanctions imposed on the country over its nuclear program, saying they will hurt the West but not Iran.

“The sanctions on Iran will leave 150,000 to 200,000 people jobless in Western countries while creating job opportunities for Iranians,” Mohammad Reza Rahimi said in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Saturday.

Tehran stands firmly against the extremism of the arrogant powers, he noted.

He added that the United States and its allies imposed sanctions on Iran over the past 30 years to damage the Islamic Revolution, the Founder of the Islamic Republic, the late Imam Khomeini, and his ideals.

However, they will never attain their goals, he said.

Rahimi stated that the arrogant powers are imposing sanctions on Iran to cripple the country, saying, “They should know that these sanctions will cripple themselves. Their sanctions will strengthen the determination of the Iranian nation.”

The Iranian vice president said sanctions will lead to Iran’s development but produce nothing for the West.

After the UN Security Council issued a resolution imposing a fourth round of sanctions on Iran in June, the United States and the European Union followed suit, imposing their own unilateral sanctions.

Tehran rejects the allegation that it seeks to develop nuclear weapons and has asserted that its nuclear program is only being implemented for peaceful purposes, such as the development of the country’s energy and medical infrastructure.

On August 21, Tehran launched its first nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. The US has acknowledged that the facility, built and fueled with Russian assistance, does not pose any “proliferation risks.”

The new round of negotiations over the provision of fuel for Tehran’s medical research reactor is set to begin in mid-September.

Iran says the talks must focus on the Tehran declaration, which it signed with Turkey and Brazil in order to facilitate efforts to resolve the standoff through diplomacy.

The foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey, and Brazil signed a declaration in Tehran on May 17, according to which Iran would ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel rods to power the Tehran research reactor, which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.

The declaration gives Iran a guarantee since the low-enriched uranium is to be stored in Turkey and would be returned if Iran does not receive the 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel within one year.