In a speech delivered to his advisors, President Rouhani reaffirmed the necessity of returning to the negotiating table with the West, especially European countries, calling for the resumption of nuclear talks for the Islamic Republic.

He said that reviving the nuclear deal during his second term would have been sufficient to prevent the outbreak of the 12-day war with Israel, and would have also prevented the activation of the snapback mechanism for reinstating UN sanctions.

He explained that Iran must do everything possible to prevent the return of previous UN resolutions, stressing that negotiations remain possible with the three European countries or with the P4+1 group to remove the snapback issue from the UN Security Council agenda. He added that this would be in everyone’s interest, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Rouhani pointed out that preventing the return to the nuclear deal cost Iran significant losses, saying: “If the process had not been disrupted back then, and if we had returned to the deal during Joe Biden’s era, there would have been no so-called snapback mechanism, and we would not have incurred nearly 500 billion in losses.”

Speaking about the nuclear negotiations that took place late in his second term, coinciding with Biden’s election victory, Rouhani noted that these efforts failed due to Washington’s insistence that Iran first return to its commitments. He mentioned that the United States, through then State Department spokesman Ned Price, confirmed that its patience with Iran’s nuclear challenges was not unlimited.

Rouhani believed that returning to the nuclear deal would have ensured its stabilization and benefits, and would have prevented the recent war. He accused those he described as “hardliners” of obstructing this path “with their illusions,” harming the national interest.

Rouhani emphasized that the best way to resolve the issue lies in returning to negotiations, affirming that the opportunity still exists to reach an understanding with the three European countries or with the P4+1 group to remove the snapback file from the Security Council.

Source: Iranian media