Ayatollah Khamenei: Iran to Keep Reducing JCPOA Commitments

In comments at a Wednesday meeting with members of the High Council of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Commanders in Tehran, Ayatollah Khamenei made it clear that Tehran will stick to the plans for a phased reduction of commitments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Reduction of the nuclear commitments, which is a responsibility of the Atomic Energy Organization (of Iran), must continue with full seriousness and in a precise and comprehensive manner, as announced by the administration, until it achieves the appropriate result, and it will definitely yield results,” the Leader underlined.

Ayatollah Khamenei also highlighted the defeat of the US policy of maximum pressure on Iran, saying, “A careful observation of the regional and world developments shows that the more the enemies spend, the more loss they suffer.”

The US president has confessed that Washington spent 7 trillion dollars in the Middle East, but they have only achieved “loss and defeat”, the Leader noted, stressing that such trend will go on in future.

Slamming the US policy of maximum pressure on Iran as a failed and futile strategy, Ayatollah Khamenei said Americans had plans to bring Iran to its knees by maximizing the pressures, particularly the economic pressures, but they ran into trouble themselves.

The Leader also highlighted the failure of Washington’s recent attempts at the UN General Assembly to display an Iranian defeat, even a symbolic one.

The US implored its European friends to help force the Iranian president into negotiations at the recent UN meeting, but all to no avail, Ayatollah Khamenei added, saying, “The (US policy of) maximum pressure has failed up to this moment, and I announce firmly that they (Americans) will fail in their attempt for such maximum pressure forever.”

The Leader further described the oil sanctions against Iran as a short-term problem, saying the right action will turn this short-term problem into a long-term advantage, namely the national budget’s independence from oil incomes.

“The pressure of sanctions that is being exerted on us tactically will be in our interests strategically,” Ayatollah Khamenei underscored.

The Leader further outlined plans for the IRGC’s progress and development in the years to come, saying the IRGC has such a leading role in the axis of resistance’s fight against the front of cruelty that the arrogant and evil powers express open hostility towards the IRGC.

“I am satisfied with the IRGC a hundred percent,” the Leader noted, but stressed that the IRGC needs to boost its capabilities and develop its talents to make progress ten times or even 100 times more.