The Commander of the Revolutionary Guards responded to reports of a US intention to offer Tehran easing sanctions against it in exchange for stopping uranium enrichment •
Commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Hussein Salami
The commander of the Revolutionary Guards, General Hussein Salami, said today (Tuesday) that his country does not need a nuclear deal with the powers and that the regime in Tehran is indifferent to US sanctions on the country's economy.
This is the first response by an Iranian official to a report on the Politico news site that the Biden administration is considering offering Iran relief in sanctions against it in exchange for stopping uranium enrichment and installing advanced centrifuges in the country's nuclear facilities and as a first step in negotiating the nuclear deal.
Salami made the remarks at a memorial service for regime victims in Yazd province in the center of the country.
"We are indifferent to US sanctions and we probably do not need the nuclear deal. We have chosen the path of sovereignty in order to make our country stronger," Salami said.
"We have sanctions, but their impact on our economy is rapidly fading. Our country has become more independent in many areas and the enemy knows that the impact of its sanctions is diminishing daily," the Iranian general added.
It is important to remember that Salami, by virtue of his position, represents the ideological and uncompromising arm of the regime and his remarks seem to come alongside feverish diplomatic efforts on the part of President Hassan Rouhani's men to try and reap significant achievements in negotiations with the United States before the end of his term.
Despite the commander's arrogant remarks, Iran's situation remains bleak due to US sanctions and yesterday officials in the country admitted that they would be forced to close the Bushhar nuclear reactor, the country's only nuclear power plant, due to a lack of foreign currency to pay Russian contractors operating the facility.