Iran Warns US of JCPOA Withdrawal

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif cautioned the US administration against the grave mistake of scrapping the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying Iran has devised plans to enhance its nuclear capabilities to deal with every situation.

News ID: 69241

Date: 17 March 2018 - 11:10

"Considering what has been envisaged in the JCPOA in the field of research and development and the Islamic Republic of Iran's continued measures to develop its peaceful nuclear capability, if the US makes the mistake of exiting the JCPOA, it will definitely be a painful mistake for the Americans," Zarif told reporters on Friday in Tehran, after a tour of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

US President Donald Trump has always sought to "destroy the JCPOA" both before and after taking office in January 2017, Zarif added, saying Washington has committed broad violations in the implementation of the JCPOA, the nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

"It has been fully foreseen in the JCPOA what measures the Islamic Republic of Iran would carry out if it cannot reap its (the agreement's) economic benefits," Zarif pointed out.

As regards the regional issues, Zarif pointed to the intensive talks he has held with top officials from the Azerbaijan Republic, Turkey, Georgia, Russia and Kazakhstan during his 2-day tour of Baku and Astana, saying ministerial meetings were held to discuss the ways to settle the crisis in Syria through political dialogue.

The Iranian minister also blamed an escalation of fighting in Syria over the past weeks on the “wrong US policies”, expressing the hope that the Astana peace process would help restore peace to the Arab country.

Last week, diplomats from Iran, Russia, Turkey and the UN attended a series of intensive meetings in Geneva to discuss the ways to restore peace and stability to Syria.

In September 2017, Iran, Russia and Turkey -the three guarantor states in peace talks- agreed on the details of four “de-escalation zones” in Syria, including in Idlib, during peace talks in Astana.

The de-escalation zones are aimed at separating extremist groups, including Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham -- formerly known as al-Nusra Front -- from other militants.