Zarif Criticizes Trump's Remarks, Mogherini Emphasizes Maintaining JCPOA in Meeting with Pence

Iran's Foreign Minister criticized Donald Trump's speech at the United Nations, where he described Iran as a "rogue" state and the nuclear deal as the "worst deal". The EU's chief foreign policy official emphasized the necessity of continuing the JCPOA during a meeting with the U.S. Vice President. Zarif, who is attending the annual UN gathering with the Iranian President, described Trump's comments as "ignorant" on September 19. He tweeted that the JCPOA is "non-negotiable" and stated that Trump's words reflect a "deep ignorance and demagogic behavior". Trump, in his speech, criticized the nuclear agreement signed by his predecessor, calling it a "one-sided" deal that is a "shame" for the United States. He stated that the U.S. cannot allow the "criminal regime" of Iran to continue its destabilizing actions while pursuing a dangerous missile program. Zarif dismissed Trump's speech as "rhetorical" and added that it is "not worth responding to". He also stated that "false sympathy for the Iranian people deceives no one". Concurrently, the U.S. Secretary of State indicated that if the U.S. is to remain in the nuclear deal, changes must be made. Zarif tweeted that the JCPOA is not negotiable and that a "better" deal is merely a fantasy. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of State expressed concerns about sections of the nuclear agreement that gradually lift certain restrictions on Iran, placing responsibilities on future generations to deal with issues, which worries Washington. The meeting between Mogherini and Pence was a significant news day for Iran and the nuclear agreement amid strong criticisms from Trump and his officials, yet several senior European officials have supported it. In addition to the French President defending the JCPOA during his UN speech, Federica Mogherini reiterated the need to continue it in her meeting with Pence. According to a statement from the EU, Mogherini noted that Iran has adhered to the nuclear agreement based on seven confirmations provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency and emphasized the importance of full implementation by all parties. The U.S. Vice President, in his meeting with Mogherini at the UN, stressed that Washington is willing to work with allies to end Iran's destabilizing behavior. Criticism of Iran's actions and behavior has been repeatedly voiced by U.S. officials globally, particularly in the Middle East. For instance, earlier this week, H.R. McMaster, the U.S. National Security Advisor, accused Iran of perpetuating a cycle of violence with groups like ISIS and al-Nusra to keep Arab countries weak. Tehran claims it is fighting "terrorism" and terrorist groups, with its President describing Tehran as the "leader in the fight against terrorism". U.S. criticism of Iran's behavior in the region is not limited to the Trump administration and has been raised in previous administrations as well. Meanwhile, Germany, France, and Britain, three European countries involved in the nuclear talks with Iran, recently issued a joint statement to the U.S. stating that Iran's ballistic missile tests undermine regional stability. The EU's website mentioned the upcoming meeting of the so-called 5+1 ministers. The Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Zarif as saying that "it seems" necessary arrangements have been made for a "joint commission meeting at the ministerial level in the coming days". The Joint Commission of the JCPOA oversees its implementation and consists of representatives from the U.S., Russia, the UK, China, France, Germany, the EU's senior representative, and Iran.