Zarif on Tour of Asian Heavyweights: Onus on Global Community to Save Nuclear Deal

EghtesadOnline: F oreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif is touring key Asian countries with the message that the burden of saving Iran's 2015 nuclear deal falls on the global community.

News ID: ۷۴۷۳۵۲

18 May 2019

Zarif visited India and Japan this week and headed for China on Friday to elaborate on Iran's stance toward JCPOA and have consultations regarding its future.

"If the global community feels that JCPOA [the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] is an important achievement, it needs to take practical steps like Iran to preserve it," he told reporters in China on Friday, complaining that the world has so far only made comments and issued statements in this regard, ISNA reported.

The nuclear agreement has been on shaky ground since the United States walked away from it and reimposed the sanctions lifted from Tehran, Financial Tribune reported.

The escalation of tensions between Iran and the US, along with other parties' failure to offset the effects of American measures against Tehran, has pushed the accord closer to the verge of collapse.

As Washington was ratcheting up its economic and military pressure, Iran responded in early May by declaring that it will stop complying with two of its obligations under JCPOA and further reduce its commitments if other parties fail to uphold the country's oil and banking interests within 60 days.

Talking to reporters upon arrival in Beijing, he called on the international community and JCPOA parties to take practical measures so that the Iranian people can enjoy the benefits of the deal.

"The practical measure is clear, Iran's economic relations must be normalized and this is explicitly enshrined in JCPOA and [United Nations] Security Council Resolution 2231," he said.

He later met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss the nuclear deal as well as the latest developments in the region and bilateral ties.

Important Achievement

On Thursday, Zarif met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who described Iran's nuclear deal as "an important achievement" that needs to be preserved.

Abe expressed hope that Iran will continue to comply with the nuclear agreement and Zarif explained that Iran's countermeasures are not out of keeping with the deal's framework.

The foreign minister later met his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, and discussed how to prevent a further escalation, asking Tokyo to play a more positive role.

Speaking to Japanese news outlets, Zarif criticized the European parties to the nuclear deal and Japan for going along with the US sanctions, despite publically supporting the nuclear deal.

"I have to stress that it is important for all other signatories of the JCPOA to take a serious account of their continued failure because Europe unfortunately, while supporting JCPOA verbally, has not been able to take any action. Unfortunately, our Japanese partners also have not taken action to implement JCPOA," he said.

Japan was among the eight countries that were initially granted oil sanctions waivers, but the US terminated them earlier this month.

The Japanese government has offered to mediate between the United States and Iran to rescue the landmark deal.

“We intend to contribute to regional peace and stability, utilizing our traditional friendly relations with Iran,” Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said recently.