President Rouhani says US withdrawal from JCPOA, big political folly

President Rouhani says US withdrawal from JCPOA, big political folly

Iranian president says the United States would be making "a very big" political mistake if it pulls out of the 2015 multilateral agreement over Tehran’s nuclear program.

President Hassan Rouhaninuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Except for one or two countries, the international community currently supports the JCPOA and the US administration is undoubtedly making a miscalculation in this regard," he said.

He added that protecting the nuclear deal would increase the optimism of the international community toward the diplomatic settlement of issues.

"Commitment to the JCPOA can constitute a very strong base for the establishment of broader cooperation between Iran and the European Union and promotion of peace and security in the region and the world," Rouhani said.

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.

US President Donald Trump on January 12 reluctantly agreed to waive sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the landmark deal, but said it would be the last time he issued such a waiver unless conditions were met.

Trump said he wanted America's European allies to use the 120-day period before sanctions relief again came up for renewal to agree to tougher measures and new conditions, otherwise Washington would pull out of the deal.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Friday that the JCPOA would collapse if the US withdrew from the agreement.

"It cannot keep alive in a re-negotiated form, especially regarding the demands by the United States. It would not be acceptable for Iran and it is clear now, I believe, that the Europeans do understand this danger right now," Lavrov told reporters at the UN.

For his part, Domański said Poland, as an important country of the European Union and a member of the UN Security Council, would make efforts to protect the JCPOA.

The ambassador, who submitted his credentials to President Rouhani, added that his country's businessmen were keen to make investment in Iran's economic sector.

 

Send To Friend