TEHRAN — A member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the parliament has said that Iran can use the capacity of the 25-year cooperation program with China and membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for economic, trade, monetary and banking exchanges to neutralize sanctions.

China and Russia are two heavyweight members of the SCO. They are also permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

“China and Russia are both members of the United Nations Security Council and have veto power,” 

“Our relationship with these two countries is a strategic one. Iran cooperates with Russia and China on regional, international and global security issues.” Hossein Nooshabadi told IRNA on Sunday.

The representative of Varamin in the parliament emphasized that these two countries, which play influential roles at the in the international stage can defend and support the positions of Iran, and this has happened many times.

He added, “Regardless of the type of our relations in political and international spheres with the Chinese and the Russians, Iran also has a very good relationship with these two countries in economic and trade fields. With Iran's compliance to the Shanghai organization, this role has become much more prominent, and Iran can use the capacity of China, Russia and the Shanghai organization countries for economic, trade, monetary and banking exchanges in order to neutralize sanctions.”

Regarding President Ebrahim Raisi's looming visit to Russia, the MP said that the president will go to Russia as the highest executive official of the country, and he will definitely hold talks about the negotiations with the P4+1 countries, the role of the Russians in the developments in West Asia, sanctions, the Syria crisis, the Caucasus conflict, and issues related to regional security.

Emphasizing that the Russians are main actors in the region in terms of politics, intelligence and security, Nooshabadi said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran had a good relationship with this country during its dealings with the Takfiris of ISIS.”

The parliamentary committee member also said that Raisi’s trip to Russia could lead to an increase in Russian activity in building nuclear power plants in Iran.
He also said the role of the Russians are very effective in Iran’s negotiations with P4+1 group.

Russia, China, and the European troika (France, Britain and Germany) are the remaining members of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The group is referred to as 4+1 because four of them are permanent members of the UN Security Council. Germany is the only party that is not a permanent member. However, it exercises great influence in Europe.

‘Until sanctions are not lifted, we won’t negotiate nuclear activities’

Nooshabadi went on to say that in the parliamentary committee meetings with the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna, especially chief negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani, it was emphasized that resolving the issue of sanctions should come first because if sanctions won’t be lifted, there is no reason to discuss nuclear issues.

One year after Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear agreement and returned sanctions, Iran decided to gradually reduce bans on its nuclear program in accordance to paragraph 36 of the JCPOA. Iran did this as the European parties to the agreement did nothing to compensate Iran for the sanction.

“Iran will negotiate to increase its nuclear commitments only when the West fulfills its sanctions-removal obligations and that this issue will be proven verifiably. The first principle for the Islamic Republic of Iran is the lifting of sanctions,” the MP remarked.

Nooshabadi pointed out that Iran was fully committed to the nuclear agreement and acted within the 2015 nuclear deal, but it was the other side that broke the pact. 

“However, Iran has planned and is working to resolve the impasse created by the West,” he concluded.