Iran News Round Up - September 22, 2017

Iranian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Hamid Baeidinejad announced a deal between Ministry of Energy and British renewable energy investment company Quercus. This is the first Quercus project outside Europe and Quercus is expected to build a 600 MW solar power station. The location and modes of financing have not yet been finalized. Italy is also expected to invest $1.5 billion to produce a 1,000 MW solar power station in Qazvin Province. (Fars News Agency) (Press TV) (E)

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with representatives from the P5+1 during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 20. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini stated that all states, including the U.S., agreed there have been no violations of the JCPOA during the meeting. Mogherini also noted that a potential U.S. withdrawal will not dismantle the agreement and there is no need for renegotiation. Zarif stated that all representatives emphasized “the necessity for the signatories to respect the JCPOA.” (EEAS) (E) (Tasnim News Agency)

• Zarif and Tillerson meet for the first time. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson exchanged views during the ministerial meeting of the P5+1 on September 20. Tillerson cited the meeting as calm and “matter of fact.” Tillerson explained the exchange was “about how we see this agreement very differently.” (Press TV) (E) (Tabnak)
• Zarif and Mogherini meet ahead of P5+1 and Iran meeting. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini held a bilateral meeting on September 20 before the ministerial meeting of the P5+1 and Iran. (ISNA)

Judiciary Head Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani stated that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has “frankly said that we [Iran] would have a serious response [to any U.S. violation of the JCPOA].” Larijani also stated that it “doesn’t make any sense for Iran, which had reasonable [standards] when it agreed to the JCPOA, to remain a part of the JCPOA no matter what.” (Mehr News Agency)

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that President Donald Trump is frustrated because of Iran’s continuous developments and influence in the region. He said that Trump is also angry because the U.S. could not achieve its objectives in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. Khamenei also noted that Iran made a mistake in not specifying within the JCPOA that any wrong move by the other side [the U.S.] would also be considered a violation of the deal. (Mehr News Agency) (Tasnim News Agency)

• Jafari vows countermeasures against the U.S. IRGC Commander Maj. Gen.  Mohammad Ali Jafari vowed “painful responses” against the U.S. in response to President Donald Trump’s speech at the UN General Assembly. He also urged President Hassan Rouhani to respond decisively to Trump’s comments in Rouhani’s own speech before the UN General Assembly. He urged the Iranian government to “use all of its options to protect its interests.” Senior Military Advisor to the Supreme Leader Yahya Rahim Safavi also condemned Trump’s speech and claimed that the U.S. has not lived up to its commitments under the nuclear deal. (ISNA) (Sepah News) (Tasnim News Agency) (Mehr News Agency)
• First Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri also responded to President Trump’s speech. Jahangiri said that a U.S. violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would be the “cause of America’s humiliation.” Jahangiri also noted that the “only qualified authority to examine and supervise on the faithful implementation of the JCPOA is the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).” (Mehr News Agency)
• AFGS Spokesperson IRGC Brig. Gen. Masoud Jazayeri stated that Trump’s “clamoring and cowboying” would not deter Iran from maintaining its defensive capabilities, in particular its ballistic missile program. (Mehr News Agency)

President Hassan Rouhani reiterated his administration’s claim that “Iran will not be the first country to violate” the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during his speech at the UN General Assembly on September 20. Rouhani also stated that Iran would have a “decisive” and “proportional” reaction to any violations of the JCPOA. He did not specify how Iran would react to a U.S. violation of the deal. (President.ir)

• President Hassan Rouhani stated that Iran’s “commitments” under the JCPOA “would no longer exist” if the U.S. were to unilaterally withdraw from the deal during an interview with NBC Nightly News before President Donald Trump’s UNGA speech on September 19. Rouhani also said that “Iran could resume [peaceful] nuclear activities” if the deal were to be cancelled, stressing that “we did not and do not intend to leave [the Non-Proliferation Treaty].” (NBC News) (E)
• Rouhani returns to Tehran from the UN General Assembly. President Hassan Rouhani addressed reporters upon his return to Tehran on September 21. Rouhani reiterated statements from his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that the JCPOA is “non-negotiable.” Rouhani also said that if the nuclear accord were to no longer exist then Iran would have many “options [at its disposable]” and that Iran could have its own “economic successes.” (Mehr News Agency)