Iran Says World Must Be Ready for US JCPOA Withdrawal

Araqchi made the remarks in an address to the second panel of Tehran Security Conference on Monday amid speculations about US President Donald Trump’s likely withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“The US president has taken many actions over the past year to destroy the JCPOA and it is even possible that the JCPOA would be dismantled in the next few days through measures he seeks to take,” the Iranian diplomat said.

He also urged the region and the international community to adopt necessary measures in preparation for a possible US pulling out of the nuclear accord.

The US president delivered an anti-Iran speech on October 13, in which he said he would not continue to certify Iran’s compliance with the terms of the JCPOA, a central foreign policy achievement of his predecessor, Barack Obama, and warned that he might ultimately terminate the agreement.

The next deadline for Trump to waive nuclear-related sanctions falls on Friday.

Araqchi further expressed Iran’s readiness for any scenario vis-à-vis the US decision on remaining committed to the JCPOA or pulling out of it.

“Our region will suffer the most from the US withdrawal from the JCPOA,” he said, urging European countries to take “specific measures” to encourage European firms and banks to cooperate with Iran.

The senior Iranian diplomat emphasized that the JCPOA could serve as a model for solving issues through negotiations and a win-win game.

“The JCPOA must turn into a successful experience in the international arena and the US must also play its role in [safeguarding] the JCPOA, because its collapse will not create a better region for us,” Araqchi pointed out.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

Since the JCPOA Implementation, the IAEA has been verifying and monitoring Iran’s compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the nuclear deal and has consistently verified the Islamic Republic’s compliance.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif plans to hold talks with the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, as well as his British, German and French counterparts in Brussels later this week.

Mogherini warned in December of the adverse consequences of a possible US move to step away from the landmark nuclear deal, saying it would be counterproductive.