Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asked the US to lift all sanctions and complied the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) if it wants a new nuclear deal on Thursday (September 26).

Iranian Hassan Rouhani at a news conference in the sideline of the UNGA (photo: Eurativ.com)

He expressed Iran’s hope “first, the deal should be fully implemented ... meaning that sanctions should be lifted and America should return to the nuclear deal ... and then other issues can be discussed as well. We want America to remove its preconditions for talking to Iran, including its ‘maximum pressure’ policy against the Iranian nation”.

Moreover, he also criticized the E3 for failing to protect Iranian economy from the US’s strikes “the European parties have proved their inability or lack of determination ... to keep the deal alive in practice... They want to save the pact, but they want Iran to pay the cost for it” as Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatolla Khamenei had complainted on E3 before.

Khamenei had posted on his website "Despite their promises, the Europeans have practically adhered to America's sanctions and have not taken any action and are unlikely to do anything for the Islamic Republic in the future. So one should give up all hope on Europeans".

Rouhani said after giving a demand to the US at the 74th session UNGA on Wednesday (September 26) “If you wish more, if you require more, you should give and pay more”, referring to the US’s wish for a new nuclear deal.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared that “we want a peaceful resolution with the Islamic Republic of Iran, we’re hoping we can get that way. In the end, it will be up to the Iranians to make that decision. We hope we get the opportunity to negotiate with them and get an outcome that’s good for both them and for the United States”.

The US’s withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 was a source of the row between the US and Iran, especially, after the Trump Administration decided to re – imposed economic sanctions on Iran to make Iran amend the 2015 nuclear deal.

However, Iran had increased its uranium enrichment for breaking the nuclear deal to revenge the US’s action. Despite the E3’s efforts, the tension between the US and Iran has not decrease.

France even gave its proposal to offer $15 billion oil credit line to Iran for a compensation as the US’s sanctions and Iran accepted to get it in exchange for implementing the 2015 nuclear deal commitments, but the US rejected and imposed “maximum pressure” on Iran on September 4.

Brian Hook, the US special envoy had confirmed “we did sanctions today. There will be more sanctions coming. We can't make it any more clear that we are committed to this campaign of maximum pressure and we are not looking to grant any exceptions or waivers".

The row of two countries continued raising when the US and its allies blamed Iran for attacking Saudi Aramco’s oil plants on September 14 even though the Houthis admitted taking the attacks and Iran refused its role on the incident.

Also on Thursday (September 26), Rouhani stressed on the recent accusation and asked those countries show the proof "Those who make the allegations must provide the needed proof. What is your evidence?"

He added “We are innocent and had no involvement in the attack ... therefore we should not provide evidence to prove it. Those who blame Iran should provide evidence”.

Reuters, Aljazeera ( Van Nguyen )