US pressure has failed, Trump should return to JCPOA: Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says America's campaign of pressure against Tehran has failed, advising US President Donald Trump to return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal if it wants a seat at the negotiating table.

News ID: 447142

Date: 20 September 2019 - 21:21

RNA - Speaking to reporters at a cabinet meeting, Zarif said Tehran has always remained committed to its international commitments but Washington should first show that it is trustworthy before it can be allowed back to negotiations with Iran over the future of the deal -- known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Iran's policy has always been consistent and we will continue this policy," he said. "We will continue to fulfill our international commitments."

The Iranian top diplomat echoed recent remarks by Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei that Iran's commitment means the other side should also fulfill its obligations if it really wants to work with Iran.

"This means America should return to its commitments and show that it is a reliable country or at least a country that while untrustworthy, will still respect its commitments," he added.

"The United States has shown by now that it holds no value for any agreements and even its own signature," he said. "Today it decides to invite a group to the White House, tomorrow it calls off the meeting or sanctions the same group."

Ever since quitting the nuclear deal in May 2018, Trump has been running what he refers to as a "maximum pressure" campaign, which seeks to pressure Iran into negotiating a new deal that addresses its ballistic missile program and regional influence.

After imposing several rounds of sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports, Washington has also sent warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter what it calls Iran's threat for shipping in the Persian Gulf.

The Trump administration has also used a recent attack by Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement on Saudi oil facilities, which slashed the kingdom's oil output by half, to rally more regional support against Iran.

Zarif said Wednesday that the anti-Iran push by the Trump administration, which is coordinated with Israel, has failed and "today we are witnessing these failures one after another."

He accused Washington of deliberately trying to change the realities on the ground in the region by making false accusations against Iran.

This trend, he said, became most clear in reaction to the Saturday attacks against Saudi oil facilities by Yemen's Ansarullah movement in response to the kingdom's crimes against Yemeni people.

"The Americans showed that they are more sensitive to a refinery than to kids being killed and the atrocities they are being subjected to and this goes to show America's wrong view of humanity," he added.

He also blasted "certain countries" who thought they could defeat Yemen in a few days with American weapons.

"They are now witnessing a situation where their advanced defense systems can't intercept Yemeni missiles and drones and to hide their shame they level accusations against others," Zarif continued.

Zarif on Monday dismissed US claims on Iran's role in the attacks as a shift in America's foreign policy from a campaign of maximum pressure to one that revolves around "maximum deceit."

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