TEHRAN, Jan. 11 (MNA) – Adviser to the Leader of Islamic Revolution for International Affairs said that if the US seeks to return to the JCPOA it must first lift the sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Ali Akbar Velayati made the remarks on Monday, noting that whether the US rejoins the Nuclear Deal is not significant and the Islamic Republic does not insist on this matter.

He went on to say that the US and Europe are responsible for lifting the sanctions against Iran.

According to Velayati, if the sanctions are lifted, then the US return to the JCPOA makes sense, otherwise, the action may even be to the detriment of the Islamic Republic.

Referring to Iran’s reduction of JCPOA commitments, he added that the country needs to enrich uranium up to 20 percent for Scientific and medical purposes.

“Years ago, when the Tehran reactor was established, it needed 20% enriched uranium, and we bought it from Argentina, however, the country does not sell it to us anymore,” he said, adding that the act prompted Iranian scientists to produce 20 percent enriched uranium for diagnostic and medical activities.

Velayati underlined that any government which is a member of NPT has the right to enjoy the peaceful benefits of the nuclear industry, noting that sooner or later, fossil fuels will run out, and the Islamic Republic needs to use the nuclear capacity to generate electricity to advance its industrial and scientific work.

He also emphasized that the Islamic Republic seeks to be self-sufficient in the field of Nuclear energy and does not want to be dependent on other countries especially when they are not living up to their commitments in this regard.

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