TEHRAN –President Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has said that Iran has never left the negotiating table to revive the JCPOA – the 2015 nuclear deal -but it sought to neutralize economic sanctions. 

Speaking on Tuesday evening in a cordial meeting with clerics, Friday prayer imams and groups and young elites of seminary students, Raisi said the government is determined to solve the problems with a plan and relying on the internal power, the will of the nation, the blood of the martyrs and the considerable increase and strong presence of the people in the Feb. 11 demonstrations and Quds Day this year as the elements of production of power for the country, according to a readout by the official website of the Iranian presidency.

Raisi added, "The government has never left the negotiation table in the field of solving the nuclear issue, but has simultaneously pursued the neutralization of sanctions while trying to honorably lift the sanctions at the negotiation table."

Referring to the conspiracy of the enemy to disappoint the people and the support of some internal elements, President Raisi considered giving hope as one of the joint duties of the government and seminaries and said, "The government considers itself obliged to create hope in the hearts of the people by providing the best and most effective work, and at the same time expects seminaries to deal with the enemy's instillation of hope in the field of jihad of enlightenment."

He also addressed other issues such as the Declaration of the Second Step. Raisi announced the Declaration of the Second Step of the Islamic Revolution, which was announced by the Supreme Leader, is the roadmap of the Popular Administration.

This declaration includes an overview of what the Islamic Revolution of Iran achieved over the last four decades and what it is expected to accomplish in the future. 

Raisi stated, "The Declaration of the Second Step of the Islamic Revolution was designed as the most comprehensive roadmap in the field of governance and lifestyle, based on the intellectual system and behavior of the Late Imam Khomeini (RA) and the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, and it is a beacon for the government and statesmen."

Referring to the evolution of the stabilization of the Islamic Republic over the past years and the adoption of different approaches, Raisi described development and progress in the light of social justice as the approach of the 13th Administration and added, "A one-dimensional view of human beings and the emergence of problems such as poverty, discrimination and deprivation and the lack of ethics and spirituality in societies are consequences of neglecting justice in the development process."
In another part of his speech, Raisi stated, "The Islamic system pays attention to all human needs and we, as soldiers of the system, looking back, are determined to move on the path laid by the Imam and the Leader, and wherever there is a deviation from this path, we will fix it."

The president continued, "Some people say that the facilities and requirements of the country are not sufficient to solve all the problems or that it is not possible, but we believe that with the strong will of the Iranian nation, especially our dear youth, there is no unsolvable problem in the country."

Referring to the economic growth of the country as well as the growth of industries and investment in the past months, the president said, "Although the unemployment rate in the country is 8.2%, but in this situation, considering the revival of more than 3 thousand production units in the country, the rate unemployment in some provinces has reached about 5%."