code: def _prepare_if_args(stmt):
      
      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]
docs: Removes parentheses from an "if" directive's arguments