Zarif: How Sustainable Would a New Agreement with Trump Be?

Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, stated in an interview with CNN that he believes the JCPOA can continue without the presence of the United States. He questioned the reliability of any new agreement reached with the Trump administration. According to CNN, this is Zarif's first interview with a Western network since the re-imposition of the first round of sanctions against Tehran by the Trump administration. Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA last spring, accusing Iran of 'destabilizing activities' in the region, expanding its missile capabilities 'in violation of commitments,' and 'supporting terrorism.' On August 7, the first phase of sanctions lifted after the 2015 nuclear agreement was reinstated. The U.S. has announced that the next phase of sanctions, starting on November 4, will target Iran's oil industry, and it is currently working to reduce Iran's oil imports by its allies to 'zero.' Trump stated, 'We are ready to reach a real agreement with [Iran], not what was formed in the previous administration, which was a disaster.' Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has stated that the idea of solving the country's problems through negotiation or relations with the U.S. is a clear mistake. The topic of the return of sanctions and the survival of the JCPOA formed a significant part of Zarif's interview with CNN. Zarif expressed optimism that the nuclear agreement could continue without the U.S., despite having previously told 'Young Journalists Club' that European countries' efforts to preserve the nuclear agreement are still insufficient and 'from our perspective, these actions are more about positioning than being operational.' Zarif noted that even during Barack Obama's presidency and after the JCPOA, the U.S. focused more on maintaining other sanctions than on lifting those resulting from the agreement. U.S. officials had rejected similar accusations when Obama was still in office. Zarif remarked, 'We thought the United States had learned that… sanctions may create economic difficulties, but they would not have political consequences… unfortunately, I was wrong.' The U.S. government claims that the purpose of the sanctions is to change Iran's behavior and ultimately bring it to the negotiating table for a 'more comprehensive' agreement, as desired by the Trump administration. Last week, Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran, referred to the formation of the 'Iran Action Group' and stated that the goal of maximum economic pressure against Iran is to cut off its access to financial resources for funding terrorism and its missile program. Iran denies supporting terrorism and claims its missile program is 'defensive' and 'deterrent.' Zarif had previously likened the formation of the 'Action Group' to the coup of August 28, which led to the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Hook stated that the new U.S. administration's goal is to address 'all of Iran's threats to peace and stability for the U.S. and its allies around the world.' He mentioned that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo established the action group to act as a coordinating arm across the executive branch. In another part of his interview, Zarif emphasized that Tehran is not willing to renegotiate the nuclear agreement. In response to the possibility of a face-to-face meeting between President Hassan Rouhani and Donald Trump, similar to Trump's meetings with North Korean leaders, he said, 'No, when our previous and significant progress has been set aside.' Trump had stated on July 30 that he was willing to meet with Iranian leaders and had 'no conditions' for such a meeting. The Supreme Leader of Iran has recently prohibited negotiations with the U.S. Zarif stated that the nuclear agreement with the Obama administration was 'an experiment.' In response to whether a sustainable agreement with Trump is possible, Zarif said, 'It depends on President Trump; whether he wants us to believe he is a reliable partner… Now, if we take the time to sign a new agreement, how long will it last? Until the end of this administration [in the U.S.]? Until he leaves the place where the new agreement is signed?' However, senior Trump administration officials have accused the Islamic Republic of being 'an unreliable government' and 'crossing red lines repeatedly.' Herbert McMaster, a former security advisor to Trump, once stated, 'We know from their behavior in the region and their behavior regarding the agreement that they have crossed established lines. They have repeatedly crossed lines regarding limitations… Iran is not a reliable government, and therefore a more comprehensive and thorough oversight must be on the agenda.' John Bolton, a current advisor to Trump, also stated during a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister that 'it is clear that there are significant challenges facing Israel, the U.S., and the entire world, at the top of which are Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missile plans.'