Iran FM: Negotiation with US useless

EghtesadOnline: The current US administration policies signal that negotiation with Washington is useless, Iran's Foreign Minister said on Friday.

News ID: ۷۴۳۸۸۹

23 September 2017

According to IRNA, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council signed the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2015, under which Iran accepted to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

The US President Donald Trump on several occasions, including in his speech at the 72nd United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, has claimed that the nuclear deal is the 'worst' deal the US has ever signed.

The President also has repeatedly vowed that the US would step back from the deal.

Commenting on the Korean peninsula, Mohammad Javad Zarif at the meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said that Iran denounces any proliferation, test or development of nuclear weapons.

'Prudence by Japan and other countries of the region and the world can prevent a big crisis,' the Iranian top diplomat said.

He also urged Japan as 'an important country in the region' to help improve the situation for the Myanmar Muslims.

Widespread violence against the Muslim community in Myanmar began nearly a month ago. The heavy-handed suppression of the minority has forced more than 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to the neighboring Bangladesh.

Around 400 Muslims have been killed in the recent wave of violence in Myanmar, with satellite images showing that 214 villages have been totally destructed.

Kono, for his part at the meeting which was held on the sidelines of UN General Assembly, described Iran as an 'important and ancient' country in the world and said that his country has reminded all the countries of the importance of Iran nuclear deal.

He also vowed that Tokyo will support the JCPOA.

Expressing his country's opposition to the independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan region, the Japanese diplomat said that integrity and unity of Iraq is of great importance to Tokyo.

The independence referendum is approved by Iraqi Kurdistan parliament to be held on September 25 despite harsh oppositions from the federal governement in Baghdad, and warnings from neighboring countries on the repercussions.

Iraq's parliament in a resolution has rejected the decision by Kurdish local authorities.

Zarif also held talks with Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and discussed Iran-Malaysia bilateral ties, and cooperation in international organizations, particularly in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The two Ministers also discussed some regional issues, including Yemen situation, Myanmar violence, Syrian crisis, and the necessity of Muslim world unity and resolving problems in peaceful ways.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also met his Syrian counterpart Walid Al-Moallem, discussing the latest developments on the ground in fight against terrorism in Syria and other issues of joint interest.

Zarif and International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda also met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.