The West should lift “inhuman and illegal sanctions” against Iran as they are trying to reach a comprehensive nuclear deal with Tehran, the Islamic republic’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.
Addressing a large crowd celebrating the 36th anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Tehran’s Azadi Square, he advised the West “to seize the proper opportunity” in order to reach the agreement, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Those claiming Iran came to the negotiation table because of the sanctions are lying,” Rouhani said, adding that “Iran is at the negotiation table to help enact worldwide peace and security”.
To this end, the West should lift “inhuman and illegal sanctions” against Iran as they try to reach a comprehensive nuclear deal with Tehran, Rouhani said.
As the country kicks off its nationwide celebrations marking the anniversary, hundreds of thousands of people in Iran’s major cities swarmed the streets, carrying flags, banners and images of the late founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini, and his successor, incumbent Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In capital Tehran, people waved banners with anti-US and anti-Israel slogans, shouting support for Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear power.
The president said when the sanctions are lifted, it will benefit both Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers comprising the US, Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany.
Iran was not intimidated by pressure and sanctions, and has achieved critical growth despite the West’s pressures, he said, adding that if Western sanctions continued, consensus in dealing with Iran’s nuclear issue would not be possible.
“What we seek during the nuclear talks is achievement of common grounds to provide a win-win outcome for both sides (Iran and world powers),” stressed the Iranian president.
“Iran will resume with transparency its nuclear activities within the framework of international regulations, and the other party should lift the inhuman and illegal sanctions,” he maintained.
