Zarif Rejects Trump's Remarks on Renegotiating Nuclear Deal

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, has rejected comments made by Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate in the U.S. presidential election, regarding the nuclear agreement. Mr. Trump recently criticized the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers again, stating that if elected as President of the United States, he would renegotiate with Iran over its nuclear program. However, according to the Associated Press, Mr. Zarif, who is in Stockholm, Sweden, stated that the nuclear agreement is 'not a contract between Iran and the U.S. that the leading Republican candidate or anyone else can renegotiate.' On Wednesday, June 12, the Iranian Foreign Minister added that the nuclear agreement is a contract that is attached to one of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and 'renegotiation' of such an agreement 'is not possible.' Unlike Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate in the U.S. presidential election, has stated that if elected, she would adhere to the nuclear agreement but would closely monitor Iran's compliance with its commitments. Almost all prominent figures in the Republican Party share a common negative stance regarding this agreement. Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized his opposition to the nuclear deal, stating that it is a sign that 'we are being led by very, very stupid people.' Meanwhile, the Obama administration in the U.S. referred to the nuclear agreement with Iran as the best way to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons without war. Eric Trump, the son of this controversial American billionaire, recently stated that the negative stance against the nuclear agreement with Iran was 'one of the main motivations' for his father to enter the U.S. election race. According to this agreement, which was reached after 10 years of negotiations between Iran and world powers, the Islamic Republic agreed to halt large parts of its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting or suspension of international sanctions against it. The International Atomic Energy Agency has emphasized in its final assessment of Iran's nuclear program that the Islamic Republic has had a secret program related to the development of nuclear weapons for years.