Iran’s Nuclear Deal Means Diplomacy Works: Zarif

“With the nuclear agreement we demonstrated that diplomacy works,” Zarif said in a speech in the British parliament on Thursday, referring to the nuclear deal between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), reached on July 14, 2015 and implemented on January 16 this year.

And now, there is a hope that the international community can resolve its difficult problems through diplomacy, he added.

He further pointed to the ongoing crisis in Syria, saying that since the beginning of the UN-brokered negotiations to end war in the Arab country, Iran has called for ceasefire along with political transition.

However, he added, any ceasefire in Syria should not include stopping military operations to combat terrorism.

“Ceasefire, based on everybody’s interpretation, does not include giving a breathing space to recognized terrorist organizations,” Zarif said. “Having a ceasefire is different from letting up the fight against terrorism.”

He named the Nusra Front and Daesh (ISIL) as such organizations.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with Takfiri terrorists from various groups, including Daesh, currently controlling parts of it.

According to the United Nations, more than 250,000 people have been killed and one million wounded during the conflict.

In the meantime, Iran has remained a close ally of Syria and supports its legitimate government in the face of foreign-backed militancy.