Iran's Zarif hopes nuclear deal is kept "once the dust settles"

Record ID: 79450

  • Title: Iran's Zarif hopes nuclear deal is kept "once the dust settles"
  • Date: 11th November 2016
  • Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (NOVEMBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CZERNIN PALACE IN PRAGUE JOURNALISTS IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF AND CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER LUBOMIR ZAORALEK ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF, SAYING: "We believe that JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) is a reasonable agreement, good for everybody - that's our preference, but that doesn't mean that we do not have other options. Iran wants to remain committed to JCPOA, provided that everybody else is prepared to do the same. We believe that is in the interest of everybody to engage in a positive way. I think once the dust is settled and people are briefed about the realities of the region and the world, everybody will come to accept the fact that this is a multilateral undertaking of the United States as well as all the ...what, six plus the European Union, so quite a lot of people, a lot of countries who have been engaged in this. So I think it will be in the interest of everybody to remain committed in practice." WOMAN HOLDING TABLET (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER, LUBOMIR ZAORALEK, SAYING: "I value the implementation of the (JCPOA) agreement by Iran and the following release of sanctions which enables the connection of Iran banks into the international monetary system." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER, LUBOMIR ZAORALEK, SAYING: "I believe that the new American administration will continue this successful step which we made together and which can't be seen anywhere else." MINISTERS SHAKING HANDS AND LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 26th November 2016 16:06
  • Keywords: Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Donald Trump
  • Location: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • City: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015803SQH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday (November 11) he hoped the next U.S. administration would accept last year's nuclear deal and asked all the parties to stay committed.
    "We believe that JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) is a reasonable agreement, good for everyone. That is our preference, but that doesn't mean that we don't have other options," he said during his visit to Prague.
    US elect president Donald Trump has expressed opposition to the nuclear pact during his campaign, and as the deal, harshly opposed by US Republicans in Congress, was reached as a political commitment rather than a treaty ratified by lawmakers, is vulnerable to a new U.S. president.
    In March he declared that his "Number-one priority" would be to "dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran" and said he would have negotiated a better deal, with longer restrictions.
    Zarif said he hoped all the parts would stay committed despite the outcome of the US presidential election.
    "I think once the dust is settled and people are briefed about the realities of the region and the world, everybody will come to accept the fact that this is a multilateral undertaking of the United States," Zarif stated.
    His Czech counterpart Lubomir Zaoralek also praised last year's deal.
    "I value the implementation of the (JCPOA) agreement by Iran and the following release of sanctions which enables the connection of Iran banks into the international monetary system," he said.
    "I believe that the new American administration will continue this successful step which we made together and which can't be seen anywhere else," he added.
    Iran denies ever having considered developing atomic weapons. But experts said any U.S. violation of the deal would allow Iran also to pull back from its commitments to curb nuclear development.
    Those commitments include reducing the number of its centrifuges by two-thirds, capping its level of uranium enrichment well below the level needed for bomb-grade material, reducing its enriched uranium stockpile from around 10,000 kg to 300 kg for 15 years, and submitting to international inspections to verify its compliance.
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