UN Secretary-General: Do Not Disrupt Iran's Nuclear Agreement Over Unrelated Issues

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, warned on Wednesday, January 17, that any unrelated issues to the Iran nuclear agreement should be addressed "impartially and while preserving the (nuclear) agreement." On January 12, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, called on European allies and the U.S. Congress to cooperate with him to either amend the "catastrophic flaws" of the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA with Iran or face the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN, representing the Secretary-General on the second anniversary of the implementation of the JCPOA, told reporters: "The mentioned agreement is a significant achievement in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and diplomacy, and it has played a role in regional and global peace and security." Donald Trump announced that he would extend the suspension of sanctions against Iran for the last time in accordance with the nuclear agreement, setting a 120-day deadline. In this context, the European Union stated that it is "carefully reviewing" Mr. Trump's statements. However, contrary to Washington's request, the EU emphasizes that issues such as Iran's missile program should be negotiated separately from the nuclear agreement and not within its framework. Iranian officials, in response to the U.S. President's insistence on the need to amend the nuclear agreement and halt Iran's missile program, stated that Tehran will not negotiate at all regarding either the JCPOA or its missile program. Ali Akbar Velayati, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council and advisor to the Leader of Iran, said on Wednesday, January 17, in a gathering of reporters: "The JCPOA is neither negotiable nor subject to revision or amendment, and it must be implemented as agreed upon by the parties, clause by clause. The excessive demands of the U.S. have no effect on the resistance of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the JCPOA and Iran's demands." Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, also previously warned that Moscow would not support the U.S. request for changes to the Iran nuclear agreement made with six world powers in July 2015. Under this agreement, Iran agreed to halt many of its nuclear activities, including the enrichment of uranium to 20%, in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions against Tehran. According to reports from Reuters, Trump extended the suspension of Iran's nuclear sanctions for the "last time"; called for amendments to the JCPOA; Zarif's reaction to Trump's statement: the JCPOA is not subject to renegotiation; Iran's response to Trump's request regarding the JCPOA: we will not accept any changes; Russia's criticism of Trump's demands regarding the JCPOA; Germany is seeking more details; the European Union is "carefully reviewing" Donald Trump's statements regarding the JCPOA; Iran rejected negotiations regarding its ballistic missile program and the JCPOA.