FM: Iran Entitled to Leave N. Deal, Resume Enrichment

Resuming nuclear enrichment is always possible, and Tehran is entitled to it as the US violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Zarif said in an interview with the Italian news channel Rai News 24.

“We have the right to abandon JCPOA, but there is another option, we should see how they (the Europeans) will secure our interests,” he added.

Asked about the US demands from Europe, Zarif said that whatever Washington asks Europe to do with Iran is wrong by the very basis.

“If a bullying power is allowed to do everything they want, there will be no end for their bullying,” he said.

Asked about US President Donald Trump's that after the new round of sanctions, Iran will be obliged to return to the negotiating table, Zarif said that Trump administration has based its policies on illusion and wrong analyses, but Iran has survived and succeeded.

The US and not Iran has withdrawn from the nuclear deal, he said, noting, “We held negotiations for two and a half year and reached a huge deal, the longest and the most serious negotiations in the contemporary history.”

Asked what role Italy can play in anti-Iran sanctions, Zarif said that Italy is Iran’s biggest trade partner in the EU and it can support the private sector.

Asked why Iran does not leave Syria to alleviate Americans and its allies’ concerns about its regional influence, the Iranian foreign minister said, “If we don’t help them (the regional states), the ISIL will find the opportunity to spread across the Middle East.”

They helped Saddam and Taliban. Which countries’ fighters are bombing Yemen? Are they Iranian? he asked.

Americans spent billions of dollars to arm former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and regional states are still paying for their move, Iranian top diplomat said.

Responding to the question whether President Rouhani can meet Trump, he said why should he do such a thing?

Trump is not a reliable partner, as he quit a deal which took two and a half years to complete, Zarif underlined.

Zarif is in the Italian capital on an official visit to attend the Mediterranean Dialogues Conference (MED).

The Italian foreign minister said the JCPOA helps promote international peace and security, stressing that Rome will make all-out efforts to help protect it along with other EU countries.

The Special Vehicle Purpose (SPV), a payment mechanism being devised by Europe to facilitate trade with Iran in the face of US sanctions  is supposed to keep Iran’s financial relations with Europe alive under the US sanctions.

Europeans' honesty in dealing with Iran nuclear deal of July 14, 2015 is seriously doubted by Iranian masses that are discontent with talks with European counterparts.

In contrast with what European politicians and government are stating, many experts in Iran are suspicious of Europe's genuine commitment to the letters of the nuclear agreement of July 14, 2015, and are voicing their discontent with what they describe as Europe's strategy of killing time.

The US Treasury Department announced all sanctions on Iran lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal would be back in force on November 5.

According to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the sweeping sanctions will see 700 people blacklisted, including people who were granted relief under the 2015 deal, as well as over 300 new names.

The Trump administration earlier agreed to allow eight countries to continue purchasing Iran’s crude oil after Washington’s sanctions on Tehran took place.

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