Iran: Resigned to Sanctions

Resigned to the return of United Nations “snapback” sanctions, Iranian officials are downplaying their anticipated impact. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated media outlets urge the elite to refrain from assigning blame for the diplomatic debacle that triggered their reimposition. In effect, the regime is bracing for the long game of survival under renewed sanctions.

• September 30: In an interview with centrist ILNA, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi explained the state of negotiations with Europe concerning the snapback sanctions and discussed the status of engagement with the United States:
  • “An effort was made to reach a compromise between the proposals of the two sides, but because of the Americans’ excessive demands and the Europeans’ alignment with them, we could not arrive at a compromise. Why? Because we are here to defend the rights and interests of the Iranian people, and certainly no agreement that does not secure Iran’s interests will be acceptable to us … They thought the monster they had created out of the snapback mechanism would frighten us so much that we would be ready to give away any concession. Certainly, this is not the case. The people will see that, in economic terms, no sanctions beyond those already imposed by the United States will be enforced. Some lists may be added or removed again, but this has no extraordinary effect. However, the political, and at times strategic, impacts remain, and we must also confront those.”
  • “Messages were exchanged with the Americans, both indirectly and directly … In the end, we are reassured that we did what needed to be done, and it became clear and undeniable, just as the supreme leader once expressed, that negotiations with the Americans are an absolute dead end. This was truly demonstrated once again in this process.”
• October 1: Mohammad-Javan Akhavan, editor in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Javan newspaper, urged for unity instead of mutual accusations regarding who is to blame for the snapback sanctions:
  • “If all our focus and energy are spent on what measures regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action should have been taken over the past decade, the media and political space will continue to revolve around debates and disputes while we lose sight of the main issues … we must adopt a fresh approach. Otherwise, we will entangle society in confrontations that, instead of fostering the sacred value of unity, will lead to division. Secondary issues must not be allowed to become the society’s priority.”

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