JCPOA Still Alive, US Must Know Era of Bullying Over, Iran’s FM Says


JCPOA Still Alive, US Must Know Era of Bullying Over, Iran’s FM Says

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers is still alive, noting that Washington needs to realize that the practice of bullying and unilateralism has expired.

“Iran never hesitates to engage in negotiations, but will not renegotiate an issue that it has already concluded through negotiations,” Zarif said at a virtual event sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, an American nonprofit think-tank in New York.

The top diplomat was referring to frequent calls by US President Donald Trump, who has been insisting that Iran should give up the 2015 nuclear deal it clinched under Trump's predecessor with six world powers, and conclude a new agreement with the current administration in the United States.

He added that Iran respects international laws and the JCPOA (the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) as an international agreement.

“It is the United States that must prove it respects this agreement”, Zarif said, adding that Iran is still a party to the JCPOA despite the fact that it is not capable of even buying influenza vaccine due to unilateral sanctions imposed on it by the US.  

Iran's foreign minister emphasized that it is the United States that has caused concern for the international community by violating global norms.

Asked whether he believes that the JCPOA is a dead agreement, the top Iranian diplomat said the deal is still alive as proved by the UN Security Council.

But if the US wants to return to the accord through bullying, it should know that the practice of bullying has expired, he added.

Washington said last month that it triggered a 30-day process at the UNSC leading to the return of UN sanctions on Iran on Saturday evening that would also stop a conventional arms embargo on Tehran from expiring on Oct. 18.

But 13 of the 15 Security Council members say Washington’s move is void because Pompeo used a mechanism agreed under a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which the United States quit in 2018.

Washington argues it triggered the return of sanctions - known as “snapback” - because a UN resolution that enshrines the pact still names it as a participant. Diplomats say few countries are likely to reimpose the measures lifted under the 2015 deal.

 

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