US Adopted New Strategies after Nuclear Deal to Undermine Iran: Ex-Envoy

Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Hassan Kazzemi Qomi pointed to the latest developments in the Middle East and highlighted Washington’s continued hostilities toward the Iranian nation even after the JCPOA, saying that there has been a massive confrontation between two fronts in the region namely “the resistance front” headed by Iran and the “hegemonic front” headed by the US and the Zionist regime of Israel.

“After the JCPOA took effect (in January 2016) the Islamic Republic of Iran fulfilled all its obligations, but the other parties, led by the US, have not done so,” he noted.

After the deal, the US has pursued several basic strategies to undermine Iran, the former diplomat said, adding that its first strategy was to prevent the country from increasing its defense power.

The second strategy adopted by Washington after the nuclear deal was aimed at keeping the anti-Tehran sanctions in place, he stated.

Kazemi Qomi went on to say that after the implementation of the JCPOA, new sanctions were imposed by the US government against Iran, leading major European banks to refuse to establish banking ties with the Islamic Republic.

While the JCPOA, a 159-page nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) came into force in January, some Iranian officials complain about the US failure to fully implement the accord.

Earlier in March, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said Americans have yet to fulfill what they were supposed to do as per the nuclear deal.

Iran still has problems in its banking transactions or in restoring its frozen assets, because Western countries and those involved in such processes are afraid of Americans, the Leader said at the time, criticizing the US for its moves to prevent Iran from taking advantage of the sanctions removal.