Zarif: The Failure of the JCPOA is Very Dangerous for Iran

Iran's Foreign Minister claimed that the 'strategic goal of the U.S. is to force Iran out of the JCPOA' and stated that the failure of this agreement is 'very dangerous for Iran, although if we have to, we will do it.' According to the official news agency of the Islamic Republic, IRNA, Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday, July 3, during a meeting with members of the Chamber of Commerce: 'The failure of the JCPOA is very dangerous for us. Although if we have to, we will do it, but this is certainly not the choice of the system.' Zarif did not provide details and only referred to those he calls 'concerned individuals,' stating that conditions will not return to the pre-JCPOA era when 'in some banking cases, European sanctions were more than those of the U.S.' Zarif also mentioned: 'The U.S. is the world's number one economic power that is determined to... force Iran out of the JCPOA.' The nuclear agreement was signed in July 2015 between Iran and six world powers, but Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from this agreement on May 8, citing that the Islamic Republic continued to develop its ballistic missile program and 'support for terrorism' in the region after the JCPOA. Subsequently, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo set 12 conditions for a new agreement with the Islamic Republic. Currently, negotiations are ongoing between Iran and three European countries: Germany, France, and the UK, to clarify the fate of the nuclear agreement. Nevertheless, Mohammad Javad Zarif stated in his remarks on Sunday: 'It is not the case that we will never leave the JCPOA under any circumstances, but we know the goal of the other side.' Although this claim has been reiterated before by Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, U.S. officials have not reacted to it. Zarif also stated: 'Today, the Europeans say they guarantee to buy Iranian oil.' Zarif's comments come as his deputy, Abbas Araghchi, stated that negotiations with Europe are currently 'neither discouraging nor hopeful' and that reaching a framework for continuing the JCPOA is uncertain. According to the IRIB news agency, Araghchi emphasized on Saturday, July 2, at an economic conference that 'continuing the JCPOA is not compatible with the persistence of sanctions' and that European proposals will be presented within a maximum of ten days. Both Zarif and his deputy mentioned that one way to save the JCPOA is 'working with small and medium-sized European companies.' Large companies that had begun transactions with Iran after the JCPOA have largely exited Iran due to concerns about U.S. sanctions. In his remarks on Sunday, Mohammad Javad Zarif also said: 'The U.S. has identified our lifelines, and even if it had not identified them sufficiently, by arresting Zarrab and Sadr Hashemi, they identified them.' The two individuals Zarif referred to are accused of helping to illegally transfer billions of dollars in currency and gold to the Islamic Republic by circumventing international sanctions. Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-origin businessman, is cooperating with U.S. authorities after accepting his charges. The U.S. government has also accused Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad of circumventing sanctions against Iran by managing a bank in Malta called 'Pilatus.' However, Hashemi Nejad denied his charges in his first court session in the U.S. held a few months ago. Mohammad Javad Zarif, addressing the members of the Chamber of Commerce while mentioning the names of these two individuals, said: 'I understand your difficulties.' Officials from the three European countries have stated that despite their differences with the U.S. regarding the JCPOA, they fully agree with the United States on missile activities and the actions of the Islamic Republic in the region.