Iran: US Has to Accept Realities Regarding Nuclear Deal

Iran slammed US President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Secretary of State regarding the revision of the nuclear deal with Tehran, stressing that no single state can decide on the agreement.

Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi said on Friday that the nuclear deal – known as the JCPOA – is not an agreement between Iran and the United States only on which a single country can decide.

Asked by reporters to comment about recent claims Trump’s choice for Secretary of State regarding the JCPOA revision, Sarmadi said the nuclear deal has been signed by Iran and six other countries as it has also been agreed upon by the whole European Union and the United Nations.

“So it’s of no use for certain US officials to repeat such a case; such a stance lacks any international backing,” Sarmadi said.

“I am certain that when these people come to power, they will have no other choice but to accept the realities and they will have to make every effort to implement the JCPOA in the best, most appropriate and swift manner.”

For his part, Deputy Foreign Minister for the Euro-American Affairs, Majid Takht-e Ravanchi, said on Friday that Iran will never allow re-opening of the JCPOA file.

“This is not only our stand but also that of all the G5+1 member states,” the Iranian official said.

Commenting on the last week joint meeting of Iran and the G5+1, Takht-Ravanchi said the meeting convened upon the request of Iran to discuss the US extension of the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), which Tehran believes runs contrary to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed last year.

The meeting also aimed at reviewing the US disloyalties in implementing the JCPOA over the past year, he said.

The official noted all the participating parties stressed that nothing should be allowed to impede implementation of the JCPOA.

The US side has also provided assurances that the ISA extension would not harm the JCPOA, Takht-e Ravanchi said, adding, ‘We have to wait and see what will happen in practice.