Zarif: US Violating Iran Nuclear Deal
Local Editor
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed that the Islamic Republic has been abiding by its commitments under the historic nuclear deal with the world powers, but the US has been violating the agreement.
In further details, Zarif said in a CNN interview on Sunday that according to the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], the IAEA is the "only accepted body to monitor the implementation of the nuclear side of the deal," adding that the nuclear agency had repeatedly confirmed Iran's commitment to the deal.
"The IAEA has verified, I believe, seven times now since the Implementation Day that Iran has implemented the deal faithfully, fully and completely," Zarif said.
He further added that the same, however, cannot be said of the US concerning in its commitment to the deal, adding, "The United States has failed to implement its part of the bargain."
When asked to specify an instance of US non-compliance with the deal, Zarif said, "For instance, when the White House made an announcement that President Trump used his presence in Hamburg during the G20 meeting in order to dissuade leaders from other countries from engaging in business with Iran, that is a violation of not [only] the spirit, [but also] of the letter of the JCPOA."
"I believe the United States needs to bring itself into compliance with its part of the obligations under the deal." he said.
Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia - plus Germany signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.
Under the agreement, limits were put on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.
The UN Security Council later unanimously endorsed a resolution that effectively turned the JCPOA into international law.
Referring to accusations leveled against Iran's nuclear program, Zarif said, "I think people want to basically engage in scaremongering. Iran has a very clear track record. Iran was a victim of chemical weapons. Iran never used chemical weapons. Iran has had the capability, but decided not to go in the direction of producing weapons of mass destruction, because we believe that not only they are against our ideology, but also they do not augment our security. We believe that nuclear weapons would be a threat to our security rather than an asset for our security."
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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