The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, made the response to a question about the US Congress move to extend Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) today which was signed by President Trump on August 2, targeting Iran for its missile program.
“The US Congress is going ahead with extending CAATSA today, which is known as the mother of all sanctions. Ever since the US developed ‘mother of all bombs’, Iran has made massive advancement and turned into a powerful country; our progress proves the ineffectiveness of all these ‘rootless mothers’ on the fundamental actions of Iranian nation in defense of their national identity and country.”
Asked to comment about the alleged remarks of Russian defense minister during his meeting with Israeli officials about Iran and Hezbollah’s withdrawal from southern Syria, Shamkhani said “this is the first time I am hearing these allegations. Iran and Hezbollah forces are not only present in south of Syria, but all across Syria. The Russian government has not confirmed these remarks, and my guess is that the comments have only been spread by Israeli media.”
About the future of developments in the Iraqi Kurdistan region following the resignation of KRG Leader Barzani, he said “we tried to prevent the holding of the referendum because it would have not benefitted Iraqi Kurds.”
Shamkhani went on to add, “we had advised Mr. Barzani against his campaign for independence, but he did not take our advice and caused rifts among Kurdish people. Now he has no other option but to hand over his leadership over the Kurdistan region.”
Shamkhani then discussed Iran nuclear deal, adding “under no circumstances will we ever allow re-negotiation on any parts of the JCPOA. Our defense issues are non-negotiable as well.”
In early August, US President Trump signed into law one of the most wide-ranging sanctions measures of the last five years, known as CAATSA, which enhances three separate sanctions programs targeting Iran, Russia and North Korea.
CAATSA expands US sanctions targeting Iran's ballistic missile program and enhances the legal basis for existing sanctions targeting the IRGC. It would also establish an additional US legal basis for sanctions targeting IRGC on the allegations of support for terrorism.
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