US Talk of Diplomacy Unacceptable While Sanctions in Place: Iran Spokesman

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Ali Rabiee said the US government’s claim that it believes in diplomacy is mere “hypocritical rhetoric and unacceptable” without the practical removal of the sanctions on Iran.

Rejecting a proposal from the three European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal for the US’ participation in the JCPOA meetings as a guest, he said the time is not ripe to work on that idea since the sanctions imposed after the US’ withdrawal from the JCPOA have not been removed yet.

“We believe in diplomacy as the only way out of the impasse created by the US. But the least thing to prove goodwill is that the US, which has reneged on its primary commitments under the (UNSC) Resolution 2231, should honor them,” Rabiee noted.

The spokesperson reminded the Biden administration that it cannot follow the policies of its predecessor and expect results.

In 2018, the US left the deal under former president Donald Trump and returned the draconian sanctions that Iran has denounced as “economic terrorism.” Washington then successfully pressured the European trio into abiding by the economic bans and stopping their trade with Tehran.

The United States’ violations came in sheer disregard for the multi-party nature of the agreement. Taking the measures, the US also ignored the fact that the deal has been ratified by the United Nations Security Council as one of its resolutions.

A year after the US’s withdrawal, the Islamic Republic began a set of countermeasures that saw it suspending its commitment to the JCPOA gradually and through many steps as the allies would sustain their non-commitment to the deal.