Iran's foreign minister says it is in the U.S. interest to stay committed to nuclear pact

Record ID: 76326

  • Title: Iran's foreign minister says it is in the U.S. interest to stay committed to nuclear pact
  • Date: 8th December 2016
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF, WALKING ONTO STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF, SAYING: "It's a great pleasure and honour for me to be in this august gathering of business leaders and intellectuals and diplomats, and share with you some thoughts about the current state of affairs in our region and on the international scene, even though it's too early to say." REPORTER TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF, SAYING: "The transitional phase provides a lot of challenges and a lot of opportunities. I think the most important opportunity that this transitional phase in international relations provides is the fact that each and every one of us count." SPEECH IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2016 09:11
  • Keywords: Japan Iran nuclear nuclear pact foreign minister Trump US United States nuclear deal
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • City: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015C0WKLJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday (December 8) during a seminar in Tokyo when filming was not allowed that it was in the interest of the United States to remain committed to a multilateral nuclear treaty.
    The U.S. Senate voted last week to extend the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for 10 years, and Iran vowed to retaliate, saying it violated last year's agreement with six major powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international financial sanctions.
    A diplomatic thaw between the United States and Iran over the past two years appears in jeopardy with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump taking office next month.
    Trump said during his election campaign he would scrap the nuclear agreement, calling the pact "a disaster" and saying it could lead to a "nuclear holocaust".
    Zarif, in Japan as part of an Asian tour that included India and China, told the seminar that while the agreement was multilateral and endorsed by the U.N. Security Council, this did not mean it might not be violated by the United States, which he said had a "less than respectable" history in respecting international laws.
    U.S. officials said the ISA renewal would not infringe on the nuclear agreement. U.S. lawmakers have also said the ISA extension would make it easier for sanctions to be quickly reimposed if Iran contravened the nuclear deal.
    But Iran's nuclear energy chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, who played a central role in reaching the nuclear deal, described the extension as a "clear violation", if implemented.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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