def _prepare_if_args(stmt):
    """Removes parentheses from an "if" directive's arguments"""
    args = stmt['args']
    if args and args[0].startswith('(') and args[-1].endswith(')'):
        args[0] = args[0][1:].lstrip()
        args[-1] = args[-1][:-1].rstrip()
        start = int(not args[0])
        end = len(args) - int(not args[-1])
        args[:] = args[start:end]
