President Rouhani made the remarks in a meeting with the Japanese cultural, economic and political officials in Tokyo on Saturday before departing for Tehran.
"Iran attaches great importance to relations with Japan," said the president stressing that the two countries are important and influential in Asia and the world.
During the past few years, top Iranian and Japanese officials have held talks over ten times which indicates the two sides' determination to further develop bilateral cooperation, the President added.
"I think, today, there is no obstacle but the US illegal sanctions to [enhance] bilateral ties," he noted.
As the president noted, the US anti-Iran sanctions are against the Resolution 2231 and the international regulations.
All know that the Resolution 2231 wants countries to normalize their trade cooperation with Iran; however, the US forces the world nations to choose between [international] law and the US will, the president stressed.
About the US May 2018 move to unilaterally withdraw from the July 2015 nuclear deal, Rouhani said the Zionist regime of Israel and Saudi Arabia later disclosed that they were pressures on the US President Donald Trump to leave the international deal and evil act which Rouhani described as a "historic scandal."
Rouhani further said he believes that the nuclear deal- Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)- is of benefit to all nations and governments.
So, there is no way to remedy, but to make the US come back from its wrong path, the president said.
The international nuclear deal had two outcomes, said the president noting that it first proved that Iran was not after nuclear weapons and second it demonstrated that the country is faithful to its commitments.
Meanwhile, if Iran's interests are not served, the country's next step may be in line with discontinuation of commitments, President Rouhani said.
On the first anniversary of the US withdrawal from the deal on May 8, 2019, Tehran decided to reduce its commitments to the JCPOA, based on Article 26 and 36, and set a deadline for Europeans to remedy breaches.
The president further underlined that peace, security and peaceful coexistence benefit all across the world.
On Iran's peaceful policies, the president said although the country enjoys an important geographical position, it is committed to ensuring regional security as the country has never been the one that started any war or aggression during the past two centuries.
It is very important to find a solution to pass the difficult conditions and promote cooperation based on national interests, the president said while talking of Tehran-Tokyo relations in the sanctions era.
About the presence of the Japanese companies in Iran, the president said Iranians trust Japan's industry and the Japanese companies as they are so reputable and have a good record in Iran.
Also about the US presence in the region, President Rouhani said its strategies towards Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Palestine, and Iran have all been wrong.
At the end of his remarks, the president hoped that Iran's blocked assets in Japan would be released soon so the two can enjoy better bilateral relations.
Before his Tokyo visit, the Iranian president had traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend the KL Summit with the participation of heads of states, Muslim figures, and officials from different Islamic countries.
Your Comment