Zarif: If Americans Do Not Want the JCPOA, They Must Pay the Cost

Iran's Foreign Minister states that the United States cannot impose the 'cost of halting' the Vienna nuclear agreement on the Islamic Republic of Iran, and if U.S. officials want to 'stop' this agreement, they must 'pay the cost.' According to ISNA news agency, Mohammad Javad Zarif mentioned on Tuesday, August 8, during a session of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament, that 'de-escalation and managing tensions with the U.S.' are among the most important duties of the Foreign Ministry in the next government. He emphasized: 'We will not allow the Americans to prevent the benefits of the Iranian nation. They cannot impose the cost of halting the JCPOA on Iran; if the Americans want to stop the JCPOA, they must also pay the cost.' On August 5, Zarif accused the U.S. during a meeting with Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, of intending to 'destroy the JCPOA at Iran's expense.' On the same day, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani emphasized that Iran would not be the 'initiator of the violation of the JCPOA,' but it would not remain silent in the face of 'the continued breach of commitments by the U.S.' Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated on August 2 that the U.S. seeks to cancel the nuclear agreement at Tehran's expense, but the Islamic Republic will not give Washington such an opportunity. These statements from Iranian officials come while, according to Reuters, Iran, despite its public protests against new U.S. sanctions, did not formally object to the implementation of the nuclear agreement during the recent JCPOA Joint Commission meeting. Meanwhile, the U.S. government believes that some of Iran's actions undermine regional and international peace and stability, violating the spirit of the nuclear agreement, as Iran is supposed to contribute to peace and stability in the region and globally. The U.S. accuses Iran of supporting terrorism and strongly criticizes the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the development of Iran's missile program. On April 20, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Iran of not acting in accordance with the spirit of the nuclear agreement. On August 2, he signed a congressional bill imposing new sanctions against Iran, Russia, and North Korea, paving the way for the complete sanctioning of the Revolutionary Guard. On the same day, the U.S., Britain, France, and Germany warned the United Nations that Iran had taken a 'threatening and provocative step' by testing the Simorgh satellite launch vehicle, which has the capability to carry satellites into space. These countries also called for the UN Secretary-General to address this issue. Three days later, however, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic described this action as 'a normal and usual act' that had created 'hype' around it. On August 27, the Associated Press reported, citing senior U.S. officials, that Trump is seeking to negotiate with European countries to establish a new agreement that could prevent the development of Iran's nuclear program even after the expiration of the JCPOA. According to this report, the U.S. President is also trying to conduct inspections of Iran's 'suspicious' military sites. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson described this issue as an 'unrealizable dream' and 'a joke,' while Ali Akbar Velayati, an international affairs advisor to the Supreme Leader, called these reports 'nonsense and exaggeration.' The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency closed the file on the possible military dimensions of the nuclear issue known as PMD in a special session on December 16, 2015, following a report from the Agency's Director-General. Critics of the JCPOA today argue that the PMD file was not thoroughly examined and closed, and there are still questions remaining that the Trump administration should pursue. In this context, Araqchi stated: 'We are far from a gross violation of the JCPOA by the U.S.' Tillerson remarked: 'I have differences with Trump regarding the JCPOA.' Ali Shamkhani stated: 'Iran is not willing to maintain the JCPOA at any cost.' The European Union stated: 'All parties to the JCPOA have adhered to the nuclear agreement so far.' Rouhani and Zarif again criticized the U.S. approach to the JCPOA during their meeting with Mogherini. Velayati stated: 'Access to Iran's military sites will not be allowed.' Rouhani emphasized at the inauguration ceremony: 'We are not the initiators of the violation of the JCPOA.' Qasemi stated: 'Access to Iran's military sites is an unfulfillable dream.'