Withdrawing from JCPOA among Iran’s Options: FM Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the country can quit the nuclear deal it has signed with world powers in case the other parties fail to do enough to secure Tehran’s interests.

Speaking in a live TV interview on Saturday night, Zarif said, “Whenever we feel the other parties to the nuclear deal are not doing enough to secure Iran’s interests, we will take action.”

“One option is withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” he was quoted as saying by the state TV.

He further stressed that US President Donald Trump is in no position to verify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal.

“Trump is in no position to verify Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA,” the top diplomat stated.

Zarif said that regulations within the American government are not related to Tehran and the US must honour its international commitments under the agreement.

“The American domestic regulations are not credible for us and the US is required to remain committed to its international commitments. The JCPOA is not an agreement between Iran and the US to need Congress certification,” he said.

Foreign Investments in Iran to Continue despite Trump’s Rhetoric

Zarif also noted that foreign and domestic investors will continue to make investment in the Islamic Republic of Iran regardless of what US President Donald Trump declared as the new US strategy on Iran.

He blasted the ‘profane’ language Trump used against Iran, saying that the US president tried to use such harsh comments in order to hide the fact that he lacks a clear strategy towards Tehran.

The Iranian foreign minister further accused the Trump administration of following the agenda of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the region.

“Perhaps, Trump’s speech was more a Netanyahu’s speech delivered by Trump. Our neighbors must come to their senses about who are endorsing Trump’s statement.”

“The United States is isolating itself by its policies,” Zarif said, citing the European Union’s concerns about the “Trump administration’s behavior,” which is not “exclusively” limited to the nuclear agreement and “could cause trouble for the international order.”

He also highlighted Trump’s failure to respect several other international deals such as the Paris Climate Accord, North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP).

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