Any anti-JCPOA action to undermine global peace: Iran’s Rouhani

EghtesadOnline: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that any action against the historic nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - would undermine regional and international security and stability.

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16 October 2017

“Harming the JCPOA is [tantamount to] harming the security and stability of the region and the world,” Rouhani said during a Saturday meeting with the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, Markus Leitner, who submitted his credentials to the Iranian president.

According to PressTv, he said "breaking the negotiation table in no skill" and expressed hope that the European Union would block “erroneous moves” aimed at disturbing international peace and cooperation.

“Today, we are in a very sensitive and important situation and this critical situation does not concern only Iran and the P5+1 countries,” he said.

He added that the consequences of the ongoing sensitive situation would affect the entire region and the world, saying, “The JCPOA has brought more peace to the region and the world.”

The Iranian president stressed the importance of resolving international conflicts through dialogue.

Iran has cooperated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is determined to continue such cooperation, he further said.

Rouhani reaffirmed the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities and emphasized that Tehran would not violate the JCPOA so long as the other signatories to the deal remained committed to their obligations.

The Swiss ambassador, for his part, said his country supports the landmark nuclear deal and urged all sides to fully implement their commitments under the JCPOA.

The Iranian president’s remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump refused to certify the 2015 international nuclear agreement and warned he might ultimately terminate it, in defiance of other world powers and undermining a landmark victory of multilateral diplomacy.

Trump said he chose not to certify that Tehran was complying with the JCPOA and added that his goal was to ensure Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon.

While the US president did not pull Washington out of the nuclear deal, he gave Congress 60 days to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions against Tehran that were lifted under the pact. Rolling back sanctions would put the US at odds with other signatories to the accord and the European Union.

JCPOA proves effectiveness of dialogue in crisis settlement

In a meeting with the Greek ambassador to Tehran, Dimitri Alexandrakis, Rouhani said the EU countries have played a constructive role in implementing the JCPOA.

“The JCPOA has proved that dialogue and cooperation are the best way to solve international differences and they are in the interest of the international community, including Europe and the United States,” the Iranian president added.

The Greek ambassador, who submitted his credentials to the Iranian president, said all parties to the international nuclear accord must implement it.

It is imperative that any side refraining from fulfilling its commitments be explicitly told that they are making a mistake, Alexandrakis said.

Shortly after Trump officially announced that he would not certify the JCPOA, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the US president was not in a position to terminate Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

"To my knowledge there is not one single country in the world that can terminate a UN Security Council resolution that has been adopted, and adopted unanimously, and implemented, and verified," she said.

EU should safeguard JCPOA, use chance of cooperation

The Iranian president also on Saturday said the JCPOA had opened doors to negotiations on various regional and international issues.

He made the remarks in a meeting with the new ambassador of Norway to Tehran, Lars Nordrum, who submitted his credentials to the Iranian president.

Rouhani expressed hope that all member countries of the EU, including Norway, would play their constructive role in safeguarding the JCPOA and making use of the opportunities created after the deal implementation to boost cooperation.

Nordrum, for his part, said many Norwegian companies believed that the nuclear deal had created great opportunities to enhance cooperation with Iran.

He added that his country supported full implementation of the JCPOA and called on all sides to remain committed to their promises under the deal.

JCPOA helps improve lasting peace, security in region, world

Meanwhile, in a meeting with the new ambassador of the Czech Republic to Tehran, Svatopluk Čumba, the Iranian president said the JCPOA had created a better atmosphere for cooperation between Iran and European countries.

“We believe that the nuclear agreement … contributes to sustainable peace, security and stability in the region and across the world,” Rouhani added.

The Czech diplomat, for his part, said issues would be settled only through negotiations and mutual respect.

Trump’s threat to terminate the nuclear deal comes as the US has a history of quitting international pacts and organizations.

This is not the first time that the international community witnesses efforts by the Trump administration to renege on a multilateral agreement.

Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement in June and has ordered the US to withdraw from UNESCO next year.