TEHRAN — President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi said on Saturday it is Iran’s strategy to break sanctions.

Raisi made the remarks in a meeting with ambassadors and heads of missions of Iran to 15 neighboring countries. 

He added, “The enemy's strategy is that the shadow of these sanctions to always remain and grow on the Iranian people.” 

If they continue this approach and escalate the sanctions, Iran will not sit and watch and can do a lot of things in response, the president remarked.

He continued, “In this administration, the Foreign Minister and various bodies of the government have put neutralization of sanctions as well as serious effort to remove them on the agenda, and all our decisions in the field of oil sales and financial resources are on the basis of how we can manage the country if the sanctions remain in place.”

Raisi added some sources claimed that Iran is not serious in the Vienna talks, but Iran has participated in the negotiations with dignity and showed this seriousness by presenting draft texts.

He reiterated his administration’s position that “if the other side is determined to lift the sanctions, a good agreement will be reached and we will definitely seek this good agreement.” 

FM: There is consensus on the importance of neighborhood policy

Later in the meeting, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian also said that the foreign policy of the new Iranian government is centered around “neighbors first”. 

Improving ties with neighbors is not new, but there is a consensus within the new government on the importance of neighborhood policy, he said. 

‘Neighborhood policy must become a coherent system in foreign policy’

The foreign minister stated that Iran believes that this policy should become a coherent system in the foreign policy charter and all neighbors including Iran should benefit from the development of relations which will result from such an approach.

The top diplomat added, “Looking at Asia as one of the priorities in foreign policy is certainly important, which we will discuss in detail in the meetings that we will have in the next five days.”

The “balanced foreign policy” slogan that the government has chosen is active, intelligent and dynamic, Amir Abdollahian said, adding that in this framework, the four-year plans of the administration have been prepared and planned.

Diplomatic apparatus must use its knowledge and experience to help lift oppressive U.S. sanctions

To neutralize and lift sanctions are two important missions that have been entrusted to the Foreign Ministry, the chief diplomat said. 

“We have a duty to strive and help this policy and the realization of this policy with a revolutionary approach in the direction of neutralizing the sanctions according to the policy of Dr. Raisi’s government, who pursues sustainable economic development without looking at the Vienna talks,” he stated.

At the same time, Amir Abdollahian noted, it is the inherent duty of the diplomatic apparatus to use all its diplomatic efforts, knowledge and experience to eliminate the oppressive and unilateral sanctions by the United States.