A new round of the joint committee meeting of the Iranian nuclear comprehensive agreement will be held, whether the United States and Iran can reach an agreement is still unknown |

Original title: A new round of the joint committee meeting of the Iranian nuclear comprehensive agreement will be held. Whether the United States and Iran can reach an agreement is still unknown

Source: CCTV News Client

　　According to Iranian media reports, on the 10th of this month, a new round of negotiations on the resumption of the implementation of the agreement by the Joint Commission on the Iranian Nuclear Comprehensive Agreement will be held in Vienna. Earlier, the head of the Iranian delegation, Araghi, said that the various rounds of talks between the parties involved in the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue in Vienna have made positive progress. Iran hopes that in the following talks, all parties can reach an agreement on sanctions and nuclear issues. Related agreements. But at the same time, he also admitted that there are still some key issues.

　　Headquarters reporter Li Jiannan:The meeting of the Joint Committee on the Comprehensive Agreement on Iran’s Nuclear Issue, which began in April this year, will soon usher in the sixth round of talks in Vienna. The participating parties will continue to conduct further consultations on how the United States will lift sanctions against Iran and the parties will re-fulfil the Iran nuclear agreement.On the 2nd of this month, that is, after the fifth round of talks, the head of the Iranian delegation and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Araghzi said in an interview with the media that representatives of all parties are satisfied with the talks that have been conducted so far. At the same time, he pointed out that although The outcome of diplomatic negotiations is unpredictable, but he believes that the next round of talks may be the last one.

　　Headquarters reporter Li Jiannan:According to observations from the front, all sectors of Iran are also paying attention to the results of this meeting. Since the United States has imposed sanctions on Iran more than 1,500 times since 2018, all aspects of the Iranian economy have been under pressure. In previous interviews, many Iranian people said that although they do not trust the United States very much, they hope that the United States will do so. The sanctions can be lifted as soon as possible with the support of the international community. In addition, we have recently interviewed many experts and political analysts. Their current general view is that the United States’ strategic intent to contain and oppress Iran will not change in a short period of time. Outside of the Iran nuclear agreement, the US government is actually more concerned about it. It is the two issues of Iran’s regional influence and Iran’s missile research and development capabilities. Therefore, experts believe that the United States may continue to make a fuss about lifting sanctions in exchange for Iran’s concessions on other issues, but Iran will not accept any additional agreements outside the framework of the original Iran nuclear agreement. At present, the Iranian government has repeatedly stated that if the United States lifts all sanctions against Iran at one time and Iran verifies the effectiveness of the lifting of sanctions, Iran will immediately re-fulfil all the contents of the Iran nuclear agreement. Iranian public opinion believes that Iran’s current attitude is very clear. Whether the talks can make positive progress will depend on the attitude of the United States. However, the long-term confrontation between the United States and Iran has led to a lack of trust between the two sides. Therefore, whether the current round of talks can achieve substantive progress remains It remains to be seen.

　　Forced sanctions against Iran and US hegemony are generally opposed

　　In May 2018, the United States unilaterally announced its withdrawal from the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. Starting in August 2018, the United States has gradually restarted its unilateral sanctions on Iran, escalated its pressure on Iran, and prevented other parties from implementing the comprehensive agreement. It was generally opposed by the international community.

　　After the United States unilaterally announced its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement in 2018, Germany, France and Britain issued a joint statement stating that they will remain in the Iran nuclear agreement. German Chancellor Merkel said that month that the United States’ decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement undermined trust in the international order and caused serious damage to the international community. This move is very worrying and regrettable. The then President of the European Council, Tusk, called on the European Union to form a united front to oppose the withdrawal of the United States from the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue.

Beginning in August 2018, the United States gradually restarted its unilateral sanctions against Iran, which has triggered widespread opposition from the international community. At the United Nations Security Council meeting in September 2018, the then Bolivian President Morales criticized the United States’ unilateral sanctions against Iran and pointed out that the United States’ withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement was a contempt of international law and the United Nations Charter.

　　U.S. draft arms embargo involving Iran was rejected by the Security Council

　　In addition to unilateral sanctions, the United States’ attempts to target Iran in the UN Security Council have also suffered successive setbacks. After the Iran nuclear agreement was reached in 2015, the Security Council passed Resolution 2231, deciding to end the arms embargo on Iran on October 18, 2020. The United States has been seeking to push the United Nations to extend the arms embargo on Iran indefinitely. In August 2020, the United States proposed an indefinite extension of the draft resolution on the arms embargo imposed on Iran. The UN Security Council voted on the draft in writing on August 13 and 14. As a result, apart from the United States, only Dominica voted in favor, and the United States’ draft resolution was not passed.

　　Iranian President Rouhani:This is the first time in history,The United States submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council,Only (except the United States) one island country (Dominica) voted for

　　Security Council: Do not initiate “quick restoration of sanctions” on Iran

　　However, the US government that suffered a “complete defeat” did not give up. On August 20, 2020, the United States asked the United Nations Security Council to activate the “quick restoration of sanctions” mechanism involved in Resolution 2231 against Iran, which was once again “faced”.

　　Chani, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations, the rotating chairman of the Security Council at that time:Obviously, only one member state holds a specific position,But the vast majority of other member states hold different positions.I think the Security Council has not reached a consensus,Therefore, no further action will be taken.

　　On the same day, many members of the Security Council, including the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany, which are participants in the Iran nuclear agreement, reiterated that the United States has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear agreement and no longer has the qualifications to initiate the “quick restoration of sanctions” mechanism.

　　Gunter Sauter, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations:The United States is no longer a participant in the Iran nuclear agreement.Therefore, the United States has no right to initiate the “quick restoration of sanctions” mechanism.

　　Vasily Nebenjah, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations:I hope that the United States will finally understand (the importance of the Iranian nuclear agreement),Don’t go further and further down the wrong path,This practice is not only illegal, it will not succeed.

　　U.S. unilaterally claims to resume UN sanctions against Iran citing criticism

　　Amid the opposition from the international community, the US government unilaterally claimed on September 19, 2020 that it had resumed sanctions against Iran under the “quick restoration of sanctions” mechanism. The United States also threatened the so-called “consequences” for UN member states if they did not implement sanctions. This unilateral hegemonic act of the United States has attracted widespread condemnation from the international community.

The well-known Iranian political commentator Mugadam stated that the United States‘ use of intimidation, threats, and sanctions against independent countries just proves that the United States‘ international voice is declining, and the unilateral policy pursued by the United States has made them increasingly isolated.

　　Mugadam, a well-known Iranian political commentator:The United States will continue to implementPolicies of maximum pressure, strictest sanctions, strongest intimidation, etc.,This is bullying and a tool of the United States.

　　Kovalik, a teacher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law:The U.S. policy towards Iran has fallen into unprecedented isolation,On the hostile stance towards Iran,The United States is already alone.

　　Under heavy pressure, Iran was forced to reduce compliance in stages

In May 2018, the United States unilaterally announced its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement. Subsequently, the United States successively restarted and added a series of severe sanctions against Iran. As a countermeasure, since May 2019, Iran has been forced to take measures to reduce the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement in stages.

　　On May 8, 2019, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani delivered a televised speech, announcing that Iran has suspended certain provisions of the Iran nuclear agreement and will no longer sell heavy water and enriched uranium.

On July 1, 2019, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif stated that the second phase of measures to reduce the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement was initiated, and Iran’s low-concentration enriched uranium stock exceeded the upper limit allowed by the Iran nuclear agreement-300 kg. On the 8th of that month, the Iranian government announced that Iran had broken the limit on the abundance of 3.67% enriched uranium produced in the Iran nuclear agreement.

On September 6, 2019, Iran launched the third phase of measures to reduce compliance, including the development and production of new centrifuges for enriching uranium, injecting uranium gas for nuclear fuel production into IR6S centrifuges, operating 20 IR4 and 20 IR6 centrifuges, and 164 sets of IR4 and IR5 centrifuges, etc. were operated within two months.

On September 13, 2020, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Chairman Salish stated that the measures to reduce the implementation of the fourth phase of the Iran nuclear agreement have been fully implemented, and some Fordow nuclear facilities have been activated. A total of 1044 centrifuges at the Fordo nuclear facility participated in the uranium enrichment process.

On January 5, 2021, Iran announced that it had entered the fifth and final phase of the suspension of the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement, abandoning the last key restriction in the Iran nuclear agreement, that is, the “restriction on the number of centrifuges.” Iran’s nuclear program will no longer be subject to any practical restrictions, including the level and purity of uranium enrichment, the quantity of enriched materials, and research and development activities. Iran’s nuclear program will be advanced in accordance with its own technical requirements.

In the process of being forced to reduce compliance in stages, the Iranian side repeatedly emphasized that Iran’s measures are reversible. If the sanctions are lifted and Iran’s economic interests are guaranteed, Iran can re-fulfil its promises in the Iran nuclear agreement.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the comprehensive agreement, ignoring international law and international obligations, exerting extreme pressure on Iran, and obstructing other parties from fulfilling the agreement. This is the root of the Iranian nuclear tension.

　　Continued U.S. sanctions exacerbate Iran’s economic and livelihood difficulties

　　In May 2018, the U.S. government unilaterally withdrew from the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue, and subsequently restarted and added a series of sanctions against Iran, which impacted Iran’s national economy and people’s livelihood, and put tremendous pressure on the Iranian government in stabilizing the domestic situation and maintaining economic vitality. After the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, US sanctions severely hindered Iran’s fight against the epidemic. Iran accused the US of sanctions as “medical terrorism” and “economic terrorism.”

　　U.S. relentless sanctions deprive Iranian patients of hope

　　After the United States restarted sanctions, many Iranian patients faced difficulties such as drug shortages and soaring imported drug prices. The ruthless sanctions robbed many people of hope in their lives and plunged families into an abyss of suffering.

　　Hansad, father of Iranian children with epilepsy:The politicians made the wrong decision,It affects countless families and people,They (the United States) talk about democracy,Where is democracy?Does democracy mean not giving medicine to patients?How urgently the patient needs medicine,His breathing and his life depend on this.

　　Mansubi, the pharmacy operator:Sanctions not only harm the economic interests of the (Iranian) people,Also took the lives of many people,Or diseases that they can treat easily,Now it is facing huge difficulties.

　　U.S. sanctions worsen Iran’s fight against COVID-19

　　The UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Iran, Javed Rahman, pointed out in a report released this year that the sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran’s banking industry have caused a shortage of medicines and medical supplies in Iran’s health sector. Many medical staff continue to work overtime, protective equipment is limited, and many hospitals are under overloaded operation, resulting in the death of hundreds of Iranian medical staff from the new crown pneumonia. Iranian News Television previously reported that the United States had put pressure on Iranian suppliers to order vaccines to prevent Iran from purchasing 10 million doses of the new crown vaccine.

　　U.S. sanctions hit Iran’s national economy in an all-round way

　　In addition to the serious damage in the medical field, US sanctions also cover Iranian oil exports and non-energy fields such as finance, aviation, automobiles, metals, and minerals, which are equivalent to launching a full blow to the lifeline of Iran’s national economy.

Before the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement, Iran’s economic growth rate in 2017 was 3.7%, and its inflation rate was 8.2%.

After the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement and increased sanctions on Iran, the economic growth rate of Iran in 2018 was -4.9%, and the inflation rate was 26.9%.

In 2019, Iran’s economic growth rate was -7%, and its inflation rate was 34.8%. In 2020, Iran’s economic growth rate is 0.8%, and its inflation rate is 36.4%.

The sanctions also led to a sharp depreciation of the Iranian currency. The Iranian currency rial depreciated against the U.S. dollar from 1:42,000 in 2018 to a maximum of 1:300,000.

In particular, under the combined effects of sanctions and the epidemic, many hotels, restaurants, and shops in Iran closed down, and the tourism industry almost completely stagnated. The income of many Iranians has fallen sharply, while the prices of basic living supplies have risen to varying degrees.

　　Iranian businessman Reza:There is a shortage of basic materials and supplies,Many manufacturers have closed their doors,Now even if it’s going to buy a batch of shoe soles,I also had to wait 15 to 20 days,The new crown epidemic has made the situation worse,We are economically paralyzed,Don’t even know how to pay shop rent and taxes.

　　Hamad, the Iranian bus driver:Now I need 1.2 million rials to buy a pack of diapers for my child,And before sanctions,The same package only needs 200,000 or 300,000 rials,My monthly income is 40 million riyals,This kind of income is difficult to achieve a balance between income and expenditure,It’s really tough for me.

　　Analysts pointed out that at the critical moment of Iran’s fight against the epidemic, the United States continued to impose unilateral sanctions against the humanitarian spirit and caused great harm to innocent people, especially the socially disadvantaged.

　　(Edited by Wang Hongyu)

Editor in charge: Zhang Yujie SF107