Conditions Never to Return to Pre – JCPOA Status, Says Zarif

 

London –   IRI foreign minister said in a meeting with heads of London-based Iranian foundations and Iranians in Britain on Thursday night that the conditions will never again return o pre-JCPOA status.

Mohammad-Javad Zarif said in the meeting in the residence of the Iranian ambassador to the UK that Iranophobia project has been defeated and Iran is ready for economic cooperation with all countries today.

‘The international developments during the past few months have provided this opportunity for the Islamic Republic of Iran to defeat the horrendous Iranophobia project which had started as of a decade ago and had unfortunately been further intensified artificially after the passage of UNSC sanctions, in which Iran had been introduced as a threat against the world peace and security,’ he said.

 He said that the Iranophobia project had initially been clicked by the antagonist forces of Iran and especially the usurper Israeli regime.

‘Unfortunately, some regional countries, too, hurriedly and just out of haste and naive enmity intensified that project, whose full manifestation was seen in the worried moves made by Saudi Arabia,’ he added.

Nuclear deal proves diplomacy’s power to resolve crises

Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif said in an address in British House of Commons on Thursday Iran nuclear agreement with world powers proved diplomacy’s power to resolve crises and that this pattern can be applied in solving tougher crises.

‘The nuclear agreement was a positive step in line with the improvement of Iran’s relations with the international society, but there is need to a greater amount of work than what is scribed on papers and in official notes,’ said the Iranian top diplomat.

In response to a question on how he evaluates the Iran-West reconciliation process in the post-JCPOA era, Zarif said that by reaching that nuclear agreement the involved sides proved that diplomacy does work, but now the emerged optimism is to resolve the rough problems of the international society resorting to the same successful formula.

Zarif meanwhile expressed regret that some regional countries have got used to the former political atmosphere reiterating: We really hope with the passage of time those countries, too, will manage to alter their viewpoints in line with securing the shared interests and the regional and international peace and security.

On recently emerged Iran-Saudi tensions, too, Zarif reiterated that Iran has never demanded severing of ties with Saudi Arabia, while it took Tehran only six hours to denounce the trespassing of the Saudi Embassy premises in Tehran and the Saudi Consular Office in Mashad and as many days to arrest the involved criminals in those events.

He reiterated that on the contrary, the Saudis never condoled in the sad occasion of the Mina disaster, which led to horrendous death of dozens of innocent Iranian pilgrims in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

In response to a question whether Iran will sanction Saudi Arabia due to its antagonistic behaviors, Zarif said that had sanctions been effective the US had gained something out of them in the course of the lingering anti-Iranian sanctions.

‘Iran has no such intentions and emphatically asks for effective cooperation with all its neighbors,’ he added.

Zarif stresses redefining regional interest to reach security

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has stressed redefinition of interests in the region in order to attain security.

He made the statement during a speech followed by question-answer session in the Chatham House think-tank during which he reiterated that in the global community, no country can set up walls around itself in a bid to live in security.

He termed the Iran nuclear deal an example of the redefining of common interests and said, ‘In the past, west was calling for a total halt in the activity of Iran’s centrifuges and this approach did not bear any results in the former round of talks.’

‘However, in the new round of negotiations, we decided to take steps within (our) joint interests, and as a result we reached a conclusion,’ he added.

Saying that the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers is an invaluable asset, he suggested that its approach has to be generalized to other regional crises.

To a question on recent tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Zarif replied, ‘Saudi Arabia is required to redefine the situation in region and its interests similarly as Iran managed to turn its nuclear programs to a common issue and not an issue for completion between two rivals.’

Asked on Tehran, London ties, Zarif said the prospects of ties between Iran and UK are positive. ‘Both countries can cooperate on regional issues,’ he added.

As to the limitations posed by US sanctions as a barrier for enhanced banking relations between Iran an Europe, the Iranian foreign minister said that US secretary of state has assured him that there is no restriction for legitimate interactions between banks.

IRNA

R.S