Iranian FM meets with regional leadership as Iran continues to suspend commitments under the nuclear deal; Revolutionary Guard Commander: the enemy has stepped into the field of confrontation with us with all the possible capacity, is the most decisive moment of the Islamic revolution.
Iranian head commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Major General Hossein Salami, warned of a full-scale confrontation with the “enemy” on Thursday, one day following claims from Iran’s Supreme Ruler Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that there would be no war with the United States or the West. Salami was quoted on Thursday, “We are on the cusp of a full-scale confrontation with the enemy. This moment in history, because the enemy has stepped into the field of confrontation with us with all the possible capacity, is the most decisive moment of the Islamic revolution.”
Latest reports claim Qatar is attempting to mediate the flare-up with Iran, which has included threats and suspension of its heavy water production and uranium enrichment at both the Natanz and Arak plants, both flagrant violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, nuclear deal). Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani recently met with Iranian counterparts on heightened tensions with the US and changes in Iran’s approach to the nuclear deal.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also been meeting with global leaders, his last high profile meetings in Turkmenistan and India, where he claimed “Those who actually live in our fragile neighborhood have a real national security interest in promoting peace, stability, cooperation and connectivity. Iran remains a most accessible, efficient, sustainable and secure partner.”
Specifically on the nuclear deal and the Islamic Republic’s demands and reform to combat sanctions by the Trump Administration, Zarif claimed, “The US has bullied Europe and rest of world for a year and the European Union (EU) can only express “regret”. Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, the EU should uphold obligations, including the normalization of economic ties.”
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