Zarif’s office refutes claims on JCPOA secrecy ahead of presidential vote

Zakani claimed that a three-person group, including former president Hassan Rouhani, Zarif, and former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, kept the Iran nuclear deal document, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) hidden, not even sharing it with members of the “Special Nuclear Committee,” such as the then Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (Ali Shamkhani) and the Supreme Leader’s special advisor (Ali Akbar Velayati), and proceeded “in utmost secrecy.”

Zarif’s office firmly denied these claims, highlighting that the complete JCPOA text and its Persian translation were promptly published on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official website and made available to national media.

The office stressed the absurdity of Zakani’s allegation, noting that it implies a 155-page agreement, endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution, was concealed from the entire government structure for over two years, which undermines the alertness and institutional integrity of the Islamic Republic.

The office questioned Zakani’s assertion that the JCPOA did not reflect the will of the system, pointing out that it was approved by the parliament, the Guardian Council, and the Supreme National Security Council, and affirmed by the Supreme Leader.

Furthermore, Zarif’s office dismissed Zakani’s narrative about the presence of the then-Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, in the committee, suggesting that Zakani should release the full recording of that session to the public.

The office called on Zakani to apologize for spreading falsehoods and causing public distress ahead of the elections, warning that failure to do so could result in legal action.