“We are waiting to see whether the other signatories to the deal – UK, France, Germany, Russia and China, are able to make up for the absence of US and make sure Iran would continue to enjoy the benefits of the JCPOA and its international cooperation,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Abbas Araghchi, said after his meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Ryabkov.
The US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the reinstatement of sanctions by Washington have upset the balance in the international pact, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs added.
“President Rouhani said that Iran has not yet decided whether to stay in the JCPOA or not,” Araghchi said. “Our decision depends on the outcome of our negotiations with the European sides, as well as China and Russia.”
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs maintained that his talks with the Russian diplomat on the JCPOA lasted over three hours, adding that the two sides held very close consultations over the issue.
Asked about Iran’s expectations from Russia regarding the future of the JCPOA, Araghchi said “the relations between Iran and Russia go beyond the nuclear deal; with or without the JCPOA, we will continue our interactions with Russia.”
On May 8, US President Donald Trump announced Washington’s decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal, which restricted Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting the UN Security Council’s sanctions and the unilateral restrictive measures imposed by the US and the EU.
Trump also promised to re-impose economic sanctions on Iran.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the EU should provide guarantees to Tehran that its interests are taken into account to preserve the deal.
