A handout picture provided by the Iranian presidency shows President Ibrahim Raisi addressing the crowds gathered in Tehran's Azadi Square to mark the 44nd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, on Feb 11, 2023. (PHOTO / IRANIAN PRESIDENCY / AFP)
TEHRAN – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Saturday that Iran's positive trade balance with continued oil production and exports has proved the failure of the US sanctions, official news agency IRNA reported.
Despite the sanctions and threats, Iran is producing oil and continuing its oil and non-oil exports, has achieved growth, and is making progress in equipment production, Raisi told a large gathering at Azadi Square in the capital Tehran to mark the 44th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Commenting on the Iranian nuclear issue, the president said Iran has accepted supervision and inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which are still being conducted, adding the IAEA has announced 15 times that no deviation was found in Iran's nuclear activities.
ALSO READ: Iran: New US sanctions shows 'hostility, hypocrisy'
Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear program in return for the removal of the sanctions on the country. The United States, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed its unilateral sanctions on Iran, prompting the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments under the deal.
The US sanctions mainly target Iran's oil exports and banking sector.