Iran Parliament’s strategic plan to counter sanctions not against national interests: SNSC

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) says a strategic action plan to counter sanctions, the outlines of which were overwhelmingly endorsed by lawmakers, does not harm national interests.

According to Press TV, in a statement released on Saturday, Iran’s top security body said all different procedures of the plan’s drafting and its final approval have been carried out in accordance with the parliament’s normal and legal regulations and that the SNSC secretariat has not been involved in the making of the law.

The SNSC secretariat believes that the plan does "not bring about any specific issue that would undermine national interests,” it added.

"In contrast, what is against national interests and a cause for concern is these controversies that have undermined the dignity and status of the country's legal institutions and harm national unity and solidarity,” the statement read.

“The recent remarks and attitudes that we have witnessed in recent days have compromised national interests for the sake of partisan interests, and while they do not serve the interests of the country, they convey a wrong message ... to [Iran’s] enemies,” it added.

The statement emphasized that the SNSC secretariat is aware of the approach of some parties who seek to spread controversy and undermine its role, position and performance “but has no intention to respond to them.”

It strongly advised all parties to end “fruitless disputes” and warned that it would not allow the interests of the country to be endangered by political games. 

On Tuesday, 251 out of 260 Iranian lawmakers present at the parliament voted ‘yes’ to the outlines of the draft bill, which will require the Iranian administration to suspend more commitments under the multilateral nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The plan, among other things, requires the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to produce at least 120 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium annually and store it inside the country within two months after the adoption of the law.

It also urges the AEOI to start the installation, gas injection, enrichment and storage of nuclear materials up to an appropriate enrichment degree within a period of three months using at least 1,000 IR-2m centrifuges.

ME