Iran’s FM Hits Back at Trump for JCPOA Comments
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hit back at the US president for accusing Tehran of violating the spirit of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying Trump is trying to put the blame on Iran to “avoid isolation” in the international community.
In a post on his Twitter account on Friday night, the top Iranian diplomat lashed out at Donald Trump for his attempts to scrap the JCPOA, a nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
“POTUS always wanted to kill JCPOA. To avoid isolation, he's trying to blame it on Iran. Bad faith on top of US violating the letter & spirit,” Zarif said.
His reaction came after Trump accused Iran of not “living up to the spirit” of the “horrible agreement.”
“I don’t think Iran is in compliance,” Trump told reporters on Thursday at his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. “I don’t they’re living up to the spirit of the agreement.”
Since launching his presidential campaign, Trump has repeatedly slammed the nuclear deal as a terrible agreement and the worst accord the US has ever signed.
The US State Department, however, has already confirmed that Iran is complying with its terms under the JCPOA.
Iran and the six countries reached the 159-page nuclear agreement in July 2015 and started to implement it in January 2016.
Since the historic deal was signed in Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly confirmed the Islamic Republic’s compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA.
