TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that the U.S. is the only country that has not used the atmosphere created after the conclusion of the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Talking in a press conference in New York, Rouhani said Iran has officially announced that U.S. corporations can invest in Iran. 

“The wrong and cumbersome law which has been adopted against Iran has always been harmful to the U.S. and will be; otherwise, the businessmen, experts and entrepreneurs can travel to Iran,” he added. 

Rouhani said that the Iranian and U.S. people have “good” and “friendly” relations, noting that Iran has problems only with the U.S. government.

He also said that sanctions have always been “wrong tools” and detrimental to all.

“There were two important issues about the sanctions. The oil and gas sanctions have been removed completely after implementation of the JCPOA, but there are problems in the area of banking relations and the signatories to the agreement should fulfill obligations in this respect,” Rouhani explained.

The president criticized the U.S. approach toward the enforcement of the nuclear deal, saying there are “delays” and “non-transparency” on the part of the U.S. in meeting its obligations. 

He cited delay in selling airplanes to Iran and lack of transparency in banking transactions with Iran as examples.

The Iranian president also said that the JCPOA has been beneficial to all countries, because the impediments to economic relations have been removed after implementation of the nuclear agreement.

Iran and the 5+1 group - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany - finalized the text of the JCPOA in Vienna in July 2015. The nuclear deal went into effect in January 2016.

‘Terrorism not restricted to Middle East’

Rouhani said that terrorism and extremism are not just restricted to the Middle East region and will spread to the other parts of the world.

He insisted on Tehran’s position that efforts to eradicate terrorism should be doubled.

The president also highlighted the importance of sending humanitarian aid to Syria.

No fly zone to benefit terrorists in Syria

Sending humanitarian aid has nothing to do with no fly zone, he added.

However, he said no fly zone will benefit the terrorists. “No fly zone is beneficial to terrorists; because they have any type of weapon other than airplane.”

However, he suggested that “safe routes to send humanitarian aid should be found.” 

He also said, “I believe that the first issue in Syria is helping the people. The second issue is fighting terrorism and the third issue is preparing the grounds for involvement of all groups in the future government and establishing democracy through public vote.”

Elsewhere, Rouhani said that the regional countries should cooperate in fighting terrorism.

He added, “Countries like Saudi Arabia have made miscalculations; bombarding Yemen has brought no achievement for them, but have been very harmful for the Yemenis.” 

Rouhani was in New York to attend the annual UN General Assembly. He arrived in Tehran on Friday.

NA/PA