Nikki Haley: Nothing Will Change Until Iran Reforms Itself

The United States representative to the United Nations said Wednesday evening in an interview with Fox News that as long as the Islamic Republic government does not reform its behavior and policies, nothing will change and Iran’s situation will not improve.

Nikki Haley, responding to the host of the “Special Report” program about the White House’s approach toward Tehran, said, “Iran plays an absolutely destructive role in Syria, we have witnessed it attempting to threaten Israel and has launched proxy wars throughout the Middle East.”

She added, “These are the reasons why we withdrew from the Iran agreement; because it gave Iran the financial capacity to continue its bad activities and now we have cut off these financial resources. The first round of sanctions returned in August and the second round begins on November 5th.”

Donald Trump, the United States president, who from the beginning opposed the 2015 nuclear agreement between world powers and Iran, arguing that Tehran violated the spirit of the JCPOA by continuing its missile program and hostile actions in the Middle East, withdrew from it on May 8th.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, in her television interview today, stating that Tehran has so far felt the pain of sanctions, said that from November 5th and the return of oil and banking sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic will truly feel the pressure of sanctions.

These sanctions had been lifted following the implementation of the comprehensive nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA in January 2016.

Nikki Haley emphasized that ultimately, as long as Iran does not reform itself, nothing will change and the situation in Iran will not improve.

Focus on the Iranian People

The US representative to the United Nations, responding to the question that if too much pressure is placed on Iran it might turn into a desperate and unstable country, like some countries in the region, which would itself be another problem for the United States, said that our focus is currently on the Iranian people.

She continued, “The Iranian people have protested, they have voiced their demands and said they want a better life. We are clearly focused on the Iranian regime, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and they must decide. Ultimately, we cannot allow them to have any nuclear program.”

President Trump’s administration has repeatedly stated that Washington is not seeking regime change in Tehran and aims to change the behavior of Iran’s government, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, following the White House’s announcement of withdrawal from the JCPOA, announced twelve conditions for reaching a new agreement with Tehran.

Nikki Haley had previously announced on September 5th that America intends to hold a special session in the Security Council on Iran, chaired by President Trump, coinciding with the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly, which is scheduled to be held in New York in late September.

Do Not Test America

The US ambassador to the United Nations, responding to another question about the Syrian civil war and operations by Bashar al-Assad’s forces and his supporters, namely Russia and Iran, against opposition positions in Idlib and the possibility of chemical attacks, warned Damascus, Moscow, and Tehran not to test the United States.

Syrian government forces, with Russian air support and along with forces affiliated with Iran, are on the verge of launching a large-scale military operation in Idlib province to take control of this region, which is referred to as the last major stronghold of government opponents in Syria, from the rebels.

President Trump last week warned Russia and Iran about this imminent attack, saying that Bashar al-Assad should not attack Idlib and that the Russians and Iranians, if they participate in this human tragedy, will make a grave human error, because perhaps hundreds of thousands of people could be killed.

Iran and Russia, throughout the Syrian civil war – which has been ongoing for approximately seven and a half years and has claimed more than 400,000 victims and left millions displaced – have supported the Bashar al-Assad government. The United States and its regional and international allies have supported opponents of Assad.

Source: Voice of America