TEHRAN (Iran News)  Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticized what he called the “Western hysteria” over nuclear proliferation in Iran while keeping silent on Israel’s expansion of its nuclear weapons arsenal.

In a post today on X on Friday, Araghchi said the real issue for Western powers isn’t whether civilian nuclear capabilities exist, but rather “who gets to advance scientifically, even with peaceful nuclear programs.”

“It is therefore not a surprise that there is deafening Western silence over the apparent expansion of the only nuclear weapons arsenal in our region—the nukes in the hands of their genocidal ally,” he wrote.

“The E3 and the US may be in denial, but their silence is eliminating any credibility to utter anything about non-proliferation.”

The remarks came after experts analyzing satellite imagery reported intensified construction on a new building at a site central to Israel’s nuclear weapons program, which they said could be a new reactor or a facility to assemble nuclear arms.

In a post today on X on Friday, Araghchi said the real issue for Western powers isn’t whether civilian nuclear capabilities exist, but rather “who gets to advance scientifically, even with peaceful nuclear programs.”

“It is therefore not a surprise that there is deafening Western silence over the apparent expansion of the only nuclear weapons arsenal in our region—the nukes in the hands of their genocidal ally,” he wrote.

“The E3 and the US may be in denial, but their silence is eliminating any credibility to utter anything about non-proliferation.”

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Since the U.S. withdrawal of the JCPOA and its breaching of international commitments especially regarding the JCPOA, the Islamic Republic of Iran has resumed its nuclear activities based on its commitments and has put aside its voluntary commitments and this move has angered the West but despite breaching the commitment by the U.S., the West is trying to blame Iran and has tried to increase the pressure on Tehran to return to the point where it was in 2015 while the West does not want to return to that point and fulfilling its promises to lift sanctions.

But the Islamic Republic of Iran is now in a new era where it has a revolutionary president which pursues the ideals of the Islamic Republic and is not ready to bow to the pressures and bullies, and he is not ready to give any concession to the West to please it.

As the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran has defined the policy of the country for talks on the nuclear issue and set the red-line, the country will only accept the deal when all sanctions are removed and be verified because the country has a bitter experience from the past and the 2015 deal as  the U.S. withdrew from it unilaterally and other Western signatories followed their boss in continuing sanctions on Tehran.

Now the Islamic Republic of Iran is to send a new negotiating team to Vienna to fight for the country’s interests and not for the personal interests.

Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says there is consensus among the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world countries about the United States’ culpability in the current situation that surrounds the deal.

So this is one part of the story to blame the culprit but the main part of the story is to lift the sanctions and without lifting sanctions no deal will be possible. This time the negotiating team is vigilant and will not be fooled by the Western side and they will sign a deal to meet all of Iran’s demands.

“And some [other] parties contributed to creation of the unacceptable current situation through their irresponsible behavior and silence in the face of the US’s excessive demands,” Amir-Abdollahian added.

He was referring to refusal by the UK, France, and Germany–the US’s allies in the deal–to defy the sanctions after Washington initiated its violations.

“The new Iranian government is practical and result-oriented. We have shared our views with the parties to the negotiations and are prepared for arriving at a good agreement,” the Iranian foreign minister said.

“This [however] requires that all the negotiating parties return to their obligations,” he added.

Meanwhile Iran’s top negotiator in talks aimed at removing U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran says ensuring effective removal of sanctions is the main priority of the upcoming talks in the Austrian capital.

He said, “The effective removal of the illegal US sanctions is a necessity and the main priority of the upcoming negotiations.”

The Iranian chief negotiator emphasizes that the removal of all sanctions, which have been imposed on Tehran in violation of the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and an end to measures, which are inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2231, in a verifiable way that would help Iran enjoy the economic and trade benefits of the landmark deal are “necessary conditions” for the Vienna talks to succeed.

So the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy and position is crystal clear and if the West and the U.S. want to get a positive result from talks in Vienna, they should put aside the cruel sanctions against Tehran because  Tehran is very determined on this condition and it is only ready to talk on nuclear issue and not adding other issues to the talks like the missile program.

If the West accepts Iran’s condition, the talks may have some results otherwise it will be waste of time and energy and Tehran government should not tie all activities to the JCPOA like what the former government did and made the national economy conditional. The JCPOA was and is a test for observance of the international commitments that the West so far has failed in doing it.

The West should know this point that it is facing a tough and revolutionary government ahead of it and it is better to stop bullying and continuing its excessive demand because the era of bully and excessive demand is over or at least regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran is over.

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The Leader made the remarks in his first meeting with President Raisi and his cabinet team. The meeting took place in National Government Week.

“Diplomacy should not be impacted by the nuclear issue. In the nuclear issue, the U.S. acted extremely shamelessly. They withdrew from the JCPOA but talked as if Iran had withdrawn from it. They ridiculed the negotiations. The Europeans acted like the U.S., too,” the Leader remarked.

“Biden not different from Trump”

Former U.S. President Donald Trump quit the nuclear, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and imposed the harshest sanctions in history against Iran within his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. Trump withdrew from the JCPOA despite the fact that the agreement is endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Through the maximum pressure, the Trump administration was seeking a new nuclear deal in order to impose U.S. dictates on Iran.

Current U.S. President Joe Biden had promised to join the multilateral nuclear pact, however, six rounds of talks, which started in April to revive the agreement, have so far failed to bear a result because the Biden administration is raising new issues.

“The current U.S. government is no different from the previous one. They demand the same things that Trump demanded. Behind the scenes of U.S. foreign policy there lies a predatory wolf that sometimes changes into a cunning fox. Today’s situation in Afghanistan is an example of this,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

 We support the nation of Afghanistan

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said the Islamic Republic backs the people of Afghanistan regardless of who is in power.

The remarks by the Leader comes as the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 16 and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

“We support the nation of Afghanistan. Governments come and go. What remains is the Afghan nation. The nature of our relations with governments depends on the nature of their relations with us,” the Leader pointed out.

Ayatollah Khamenei wished peace and prosperity for the Afghan nation, saying,
“May God bring the best situation for the nation of Afghanistan.”

The Leader described Afghanistan as a brotherly country which shares many affinities with the Iranian nation.

“Afghanistan is our brother country, with the same language, religion, and culture,” the Leader noted.

Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed to the agonies of the Afghan people during the 20 years of the U.S. occupation of the Central Asian country, saying, “The source of Afghanistan’s crises is the U.S. During 20 years of occupation, they committed all sorts of atrocities— bombing weddings and mourning ceremonies, imprisonment, and 10 times more drug production.”

According to international bodies, opium cultivation started to increase greatly since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Leader says diplomacy should serve economy

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said in the new Raisi administration diplomatic efforts should be intensified to consolidate Iran’s economy with the outside world, especially neighbors.

“Diplomatic dynamism should be intensified and economic aspects of diplomacy fortified in the new government… Foreign trade with neighboring countries and other nations should also be bolstered.”

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that it is possible to increase economic and trade ties with most countries around the world.

“Except for a couple of countries, friendly ties are possible with most countries,” the Leader insisted.

“Do not let time be wasted” 

The Leader also called on the Raisi administration to use its time in office to serve the people to the best of its ability and improve their livelihoods.

“I had a recommendation to all the officials in different periods, I also offer you this recommendation; time passes quickly. These four years will end soon, so use every hour, every opportunity. Do not let time be wasted when it belongs to the people and to Islam,” he said, according to Press TV.

The new government, Ayatollah Khamenei said, should focus its efforts on initiating a “revolutionary but rational and thoughtful reconstruction in all managerial fields”.
“Being revolutionary must certainly be accompanied by rationality. This has been the correct way of the Islamic Republic from the very beginning until today, requiring that the revolutionary movement should be accompanied by an intellectual and rational movement.”

”Economy is main priority”

The Leader said the most important priority of the country is primarily the economy and then culture, media and science.

“Of course, there is an urgent issue, which is the coronavirus and the health of the people,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.

One of the essentials, the Leader said, is smart quarantine and serious care at borders in order to prevent the entry of new strains of the disease.

As for the economy, the main problems of the country are high inflation, budget deficit, people’s livelihood issues, devaluation of the national currency, reduction of people’s purchasing power, and issues related to business climate and banking system, he stated.
“Economic experts believe that money creation should be done in proportion to production, and if this ratio does not exist, money creation should be stopped, which, if done correctly, will result in preventing inflation, boosting production and employment, and strengthening the national currency.”

President Raeisi has said he has chosen a cabinet to improve economy and fight corruption. One of his key slogans in the presidential campaigns was to form a “popular government”.

Two days after the formation of his cabinet, Raisi paid an unannounced visit to Khuzestan province.  Raisi’s cabinet held its first session on Thursday. It took place one day after 18 out of his 19 proposed ministers were given vote of confidence by the parliament.

“One of the manifestations of being popular is going among the people and hearing directly from the people. This very good and commendable move that Mr. Raeisi made yesterday, when he went to Khuzestan among the people, heard from them, talked to them, is a manifestation of being popular, which is a very good thing,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Another manifestation, the Leader said, is the lifestyle which state officials choose, enjoining the new administration to practice “modesty in manners and character and avoid aristocratic styles and looking down at people from a high position”.

“We are lagging and have to work hard”

Ayatollah Khamenei also said the basis of the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic is the establishment of justice, but a lot of work has to be done in this regard.

“We have a lot of work to do in these areas. We are lagging and have to work hard.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also said the basis of the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic is the establishment of justice, but “we have a lot of work to do in these areas”.

“We are lagging behind and have to work hard,” the Leader said.

“In my opinion, every resolution that you pass, every bill that you draft in the government, every directive that you issue in your own system, should have an appendix of justice. You have to be careful that it does not impact justice and does not stamp on the oppressed classes,” he added.

In his Saturday remarks, the Leader said it is very important to restore the people’s trust and hope because people’s trust is the biggest asset of the government.

“People will help you and walk the walk with you when they trust you and have hope in you. This is the biggest asset for a government if it can gain the trust of the people, which, of course, is, unfortunately, a bit damaged. You have to repair this, and the solution is for the words and actions of the officials to be the same.”

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