Iran’s state TV IRIB aired Parliament’s Sunday session on JCPOA with Mohammad Javad Zarif as the major responder to JCPOA Special Commission questions.
Zarif highlighted the continuous nature of the resistance even in post-sanctions era; “in my regional tour, resistance movement expressed their gratitude to me and lavished warm welcome for the nuclear deal; with the JCPOA, I would ensure the Parliament of three major issues here; first that, be ensured that all articles of the JCPOA is under the process of implementation, and if the west violated any article, our hands are open to suspend the process of implementation of our commitments; second that, we should exploit the present opportunities for strengthening of Resistance Economic foundations; and third that, Islamic Republic of Iran should play stronger and more active role in the Middle East through adhering to its ideals and values after JCPOA, since Iran’s positions in the region had been disturbing for the Zionist regime,” Zarif detailed.
In response to a question raised by Behrouz Nemati, who represents Asadabad constituency, about the remarks voiced by former Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeid Jalili, Zarif rejected to directly comment upon Jalili’s remarks about the deal; “I have been among those who seriously criticized his own conduct during the negotiations; however, I avoided to interview in the media and openly criticize his records,” he told the meeting. On Jalili’s critiques levelled against the process of sanctions removal, Zarif reiterated his oft-quoted phrase that all EU financial sanctions against Iranian economy would be removed on the day of JCPOA implementation, with US sanctions having the same fate; “if we demanded that US bring sanctions removal bill to the Congress, with the current mentality in the Congress, it would hit difficulties beyond the scope of imagination; we wisely avoided to be taken hostage of Netanyahu in implementing JCPOA,” he added. “We make necessary coordination with high-ranking officials of the country in implementing JCPOA.”
On sanctions hitting country’s air industry, and the speculation that sanctions were still in place in the industry, Zarif also ensured the Parliament that these sanctions would also be removed along with Iran’s air fleet.
Zarif went on extreme, calling the representative who claimed that there had been evidence that JCPOA was not being implemented and it was so for sanctions on air industry to go and examine the planes which were being repaired using the facilities imported after the JCPOA.
Foreign minister drew a hope-inspiring image of the welcome of the ‘queues of foreign investors’ who were seeking Iran’s huge opportunities in economy; “Brazilian FM said his country was willing to invest in Iranian opportunities; all EU countries who visited Iran after Vienna have the similar enthusiasm for Iranian markets; If JCPOA has a 5 per cent of advantage or it does the maximum amount of 95 per cent, we should give hand in hands to accurately evaluate the opportunities created by the JCPOA,” Zarif concluded.