Iran Press/Asia: Calling the reimposition of sanctions by Washington 'unacceptable', Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday that Iran is committed to its obligations under an international nuclear deal despite the US withdrawal from the landmark agreement.
Iran is exercising “maximum restraint in spite of the fact the United States withdrew from JCPOA last May,” Zarif said at the start of his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Iran Press reported
Zarif and Taro Kono called to broaden and deepen the historical ties between Japan and Iran in order to continue political consultations between the two countries.
"We believe that escalation by the United States is unacceptable and uncalled for," Zarif told Kono in front of reporters before they met privately.
Iran revealed on May 08 countermeasures to US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, giving the other remaining parties to the JCPOA a 60-day ultimatum to comply with their commitments, particularly those regarding Iran’s economic interests in the banking and energy sectors, before reducing commitments to the agreement further stage by stage.
US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal last year and is ratcheting up sanctions on Iran, aiming to strangle its economy by ending its international sales of crude oil.
Japan was a major buyer of Iranian oil for decades before the sanctions.
Kono said it was essential to maintain the nuclear agreement and urged Iran to keep implementing it, echoing other countries saying: "I will spare no effort to ease tensions and try to resolve outstanding issues."
Iranian foreign minister left India and headed to Japan on Wednesday at the official invitation of the country's foreign minister.
Reviewing the various dimensions of bilateral relations and the most important regional and international issues was another focus of the dialogue between the foreign ministers of Iran and Japan. 208/213
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