Russian Experts Urge West To Lift Sanctions To Show Iran Goodwill

Moscow, Aug 17, IRNA – A group of Russian experts here Thursday announced that both international and unilateral anti-Iran sanctions are illegal and West can now lift them to prove its good will to Iran in nuclear talks. The Director of the Russian Center for Socio-Political Studies, Vladimir Yevseyev in the meeting criticized the sanctions, saying, “With the beginning of President Hassan Rohani’s tenure in Iran there are raised hopes for lifting the western-imposed sanctions and ending the pressures against Iran.” He added, “These sanctions are unethical and, devised aimed at punishing the Iranian nation, and are quite unrelated with the country’s nuclear program.” Yevseyev pointed out that the last set of the US sanctions against Iran were ratified at the US Congress simultaneously with the swearing-in ceremony of President Rohani, which showed Washington’s antagonist standpoint, adding, “The US must revise its policies towards Iran.” The Russian expert analyst expressed hope that the preparations for the gradual lifting of the sanctions would be made in the course of the upcoming Iran-Group5+1 negotiations. The head of Russias Center for Contemporary Studies on Iran, Rajab Safarev, too, said at the press conference, “Iran sanctions have inflicted heavy material losses against hundreds of European firms. He added, “Many of the companies which were cooperating with Iran have lost an important economic partner due to the sanctions and have been deprived of the huge Iranian market.” Safarev noted that a large number of European firms are on the verge of bankruptcy, reiterating, “One of the major causes for that situation is the Iran sanctions and the EU has got entangled in this tough situation due to its blind-folded pursuing of the US policies.” He referred to many world countries will for the expansion of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying, “Many heads of states in their congratulation messages to President Rohani on the occasion of his being elected have declared their interest in cooperation with Iran.” The head of Russias Center for Contemporary Studies on Iran expressed the hope that the western countries would by lifting the sanctions correct their mistake about Iran. The Head of the Islamic Committee of Russia, Heidar Jamal, too, said at the press conference, “The reason for imposing these sanctions against Iran is the West’s enmity against the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic’s insistence over its independent policies at the international scenes. He added, “Iran’s standpoints over many important issues are contrary to the established western stances, and this is quite natural, as Tehran, unlike the United States and its European allies, is not an expansionist system, and is not after interference at the international scene, pursuing the path of mutual respect in its relations with world countries.” Jamal reiterated, “The late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, always emphasized the need for pursuing the policy of independence and non-alliance towards the big world powers, and presently this policy is being pursued by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.” He added. “The West with its claims against the Iranian nuclear program, acts populously, and while it does not fear the Iranian nuclear program the slightest bit, claims that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat against the international security, which is a baseless claim, as Iran does not have even one nuclear warhead, and cannot be a threat against the world.” Jamal said, If the West intends to achieve success in its Group5+1 talks, it must end its unilateral behavior and bullying, also end its baseless claims, and enter the course of negotiations frankly and from equal stands with Iran.” The US has imposed several rounds of illegal sanctions on Iran. The unilateral bans come on top of four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions pushed through by the US and Israel. Washington claims that the sanctions are aimed at pressuring Tehran to abandon its nuclear energy program. The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of potentially pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, but has never found any evidence showing that the Iranian nuclear program has been diverted toward military objectives./end