Tabnak – As we’re approaching the date on which the United States president is due to decide on the future of Iran nuclear deal, Iranian officials warn that they will react to any violation of the deal. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif talks of Iran’s “unpleasant reaction” if the US exits the deal.
"If the US decides to exit from the JCPOA the reaction it will receive from Iran and the international community will be unpleasant," said Zarif while addressing reporters in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, before returning to Tehran on Tuesday.
He added that Iran has on multiple occasions stressed that in the case of such an event it will safeguard its national interests. Zarif further noted that the JCPOA is a multilateral deal which cannot be renegotiated.
The Iranian foreign minister's remarks come ahead of a May 12 deadline for US President Donald Trump to decide whether to extend waivers of economic sanctions on Iran.
In the same vein, Iran's nuclear chief had previously said it would be humiliating for Europe to follow suit with the US policy on the nuclear deal with Iran.
“It will be politically derogatory for Europe to follow the US policy on the JCPOA” unquestioningly, because it proves that European countries lack independence in their decision-making process, he said.
However, just two days ago, on April. 16, the European Union reiterated its strong and unequivocal commitment to the full implementation of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran by all sides, saying preserving the deal is vital.
"The Europeans have always made it clear, the European Union has always made it clear that for us, keeping the agreement in place is vital. It is a strategic interest for the European Union and we will stick to it," EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, told reporters on Monday ahead of the bloc's Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.
The US president on January 12 reluctantly agreed to waive sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the landmark deal, but threatened to withdraw from the accord if some "disastrous flaws" were not fixed.
He 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.
This is while, since the JCPOA Implementation Day in January 2016, the IAEA has been monitoring Iran’s compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the nuclear deal and has consistently verified the Islamic Republic’s compliance.
