Rouhani Criticizes U.S. 'Unilateralism'; Discusses JCPOA in China

One day after the expert meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA in Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described U.S. 'unilateralism' as 'a dangerous method for the world' and stated that he would discuss the status of the JCPOA with the presidents of China and Russia at the Shanghai summit. According to the official news agency of the Islamic Republic, IRNA, on Friday, June 8, before his trip to China for the Shanghai summit, Rouhani characterized the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA as 'an insult to the international community and a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.' He emphasized that the U.S. action is 'a dangerous method for international relations' and 'weakens international treaties,' urging other countries not to remain silent against this illegal act. While Iran considers the U.S. exit from the JCPOA a 'violation' of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the U.S. had previously accused the Islamic Republic of 'violating' this resolution. This resolution, which was issued to endorse the nuclear agreement between Iran and six global powers, calls on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Prior to the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, Washington and three European countries had stated that Iran's missile program was not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and was 'a source of instability and insecurity' in the region. Donald Trump, the U.S. President, has stated that even if the Islamic Republic adheres to the JCPOA, its missile activities violate the 'spirit of the JCPOA.' On the other hand, the UN Secretary-General had reported to the Security Council that Iran has likely ignored the organization's demands to stop its ballistic missile program, although it has remained committed to the nuclear agreement. Nonetheless, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly stated that its missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. On Friday, Rouhani also mentioned the presence of Russia and China at the Shanghai summit, stating that the JCPOA would also be discussed at this summit. A trilateral meeting between the presidents of Russia, China, and Iran is set to be held on the sidelines of the Shanghai summit to discuss the preservation of the JCPOA. Following the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, officially announced by Trump on May 8, Iran has begun negotiations with China, Russia, and European countries to preserve this agreement. The countries of China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Iran has not yet been accepted as a member of this organization, only participating as an observer. Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that the expert meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA was held on Thursday, June 7, in Tehran. This is the first meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA held in Tehran. Examining the consequences of the U.S. exit from the JCPOA and addressing the repercussions of the return of U.S. sanctions have been among the agenda items of this commission. Donald Trump stated on Thursday that the U.S. exit from the JCPOA has changed the behavior of the Islamic Republic in the region and expressed hope that Iran would negotiate with the United States again. However, Islamic Republic officials have rejected the idea of renegotiating the JCPOA. In this context, Hamid Baidi-Nejad, a former member of the nuclear negotiation team and Iran's ambassador to London, stated in an interview with CNN that 'negotiating over an additional, complementary, and replacement agreement (for the JCPOA) is a deceptive idea.' Baidi-Nejad announced that Europe is 'very determined' to provide guarantees and support for the activities of European companies in Iran. Although European countries have stated that they are committed to their obligations under the JCPOA and are trying to take measures against U.S. sanctions, major companies are gradually exiting the Iranian market. Companies such as Total, Peugeot, DZ Bank of Germany, Swiss bank BCP, and Belgian financial group KBC are among the entities that have halted their cooperation with Iran. On Wednesday, June 6, Boeing announced that it would not deliver aircraft to Iran due to the return of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic. In response to Boeing's action, Abbas Akhoundi, the Minister of Roads and Urban Development, stated on Friday: 'We will use all our contractual capacities, and in any situation, we can utilize our legal capacities to find solutions.' Farzaneh Sharafbafi, the CEO of Iran Air, also recently announced that with the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, fuel deliveries for Iran's international flights will soon be cut off, and Iran will have to supply its aircraft fuel by transferring money in 'suitcases.' According to reports from news agencies IRNA, ILNA, state television, and Radio Farda.