The military adviser to Supreme Leader Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Brigadier General Hussein Dehqan, stressed that the US administration is not in the position to set preconditions for its return to Iran’s nuclear deal, adding that it must lift the ban and keep committed to its pledges.
In an interview with The Guardian, General Dehqan dismissed the foreign policy of US President Joe Biden’s administration as a continuation of “Trumpism”.
“The Biden administration talked about diplomacy, multilateralism and interaction in the international arena as well as returning to its international commitments,” Dehqan said, “However, we still see the same policies from the newly elected administration as we did from the Trump team: not lifting the oppressive sanctions against Iranian people, continuing to block Iran oil revenue in foreign banks while we need the money to fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
“Altogether this means the continuation of Trumpism in international relations.”
Dehqan said the US was not in a position to set preconditions for Iran’s return to the 2015 nuclear accord, calling for guarantees the White House would not leave the agreement again.
Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, pulled the United States out of the nuclear accord between Iran and six powers in 2018 and reimposed comprehensive sanctions on Tehran.
“The Americans’ approach has made our nation not trust them. Therefore, we want to receive guarantees that the Americans will not infringe [upon] the agreement again,” he said.
“The Americans are not in the position to set up conditions for their return to the negotiating table. They violated the agreement, so in order for them to return to negotiation, they must first lift unilateral and illegal sanctions against Iran and fulfill their commitments.
“Then we will have the opportunity to negotiate the issues as regards the damages and the expenses due to America leaving the JCPOA.”
As Iran’s presidential election will take place in June, Dehqan, a former IRGC commander, denied that his candidacy as a former military official was a sign of a growing militarization within the government.
“I am not solely a military person. I am an academic, I taught mainly in non-military centers, I have been an adviser in many social and foreign policy issues,” he said, noting that the UK’s Winston Churchill and France’s Charles de Gaulle were both in the military before serving in their respective civilian governments.
“I have been the manager of many economic entities. I have all the characteristics of a military person regarding punctuality, leadership, teamwork and a goals-oriented approach.”
Source: The Guardian