Iran Says US Talk of Renegotiating Nuclear Deal ‘Pointless’

Qassemi made the comments in reaction to a speech by US Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation Christopher Ashley Ford.

“Just like some of his colleagues, he [Ford] has unfortunately based his remarks on his pipe dreams, and he would definitely find the inconsistencies and flaws of his futile and groundless remarks if he just takes another look at his speech,” the Iranian spokesman said in a Wednesday statement.

Qassemi referred to the US as the biggest violator of international commitments, and said, “Breaching and disobeying the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 is a clear instance of the behaviours of an unruly and rogue government.”

Based on the UNSC Resolution 2231, he said, the international community considers the JCPOA as a deal whose provisions must be respected by all countries and related parties.

“In particular the P5+1 group of countries, as major parties to the deal, should have remained committed to their obligations, but it was the delinquent and lawbreaking US which … unilaterally and illegally withdrew from the accord without any reason and evidence, and insisted on refusing to implement its international commitments,” Qassemi said.

The US’ withdrawal came as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had repeatedly confirmed Iran’s compliance to the JCPOA in its reports, he added.

“The current US administration’s disobedience, unruliness, and grudge against the JCPOA has not stopped even after its withdrawal from the deal, and Washington is now threatening others who want to implement the deal,” Qassemi said.

“The country, in violation of all legal and international norms and with a rare and very dangerous approach, is either punishing the countries that have remained committed to the UNSC Resolution 2231, or threatening to punish, sanction, and ban them by sending various delegations,” he went on to say.

Qassemi said the JCPOA has made a considerable contribution to maintaining regional and international peace and security. “Any violation of the deal and the UNSC Resolution is a destabilizing move that destructs and endangers international and regional peace and security.”

“The country [US] must be held accountable for the consequences of undermining the deal,” he added.

The US has practically shown it is not bound by its commitments or by international norms and adopts double-standard approaches to all issues, Qassemi said, adding that “the remarks made by this American official [Ford] and other US statesmen regarding the JCPOA and Iran’s missile program have become totally pointless for us.”

“Talking of renegotiating the deal is just testing what has already been tested,” he said, calling on the lawbreaking US government to respect the international law and live up to its international commitments.

The Iranian spokesman’s comments came after Ford suggested Tuesday that the US could sit down with Iran to renegotiate the deal.

During his remarks at a conference in the UK, Ford accused Iran of violating the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and said the Islamic Republic had a tendency ” to violate its obligations under multiple, legally-binding Security Council resolutions.”

“Iran’s track record demonstrates, in painful detail, how little the world can trust Iran’s promises if its underlying capabilities are not subject to constraint,” the US official noted.