Zarif: The JCPOA is a Logical Agreement Beneficial for All

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, once again described the JCPOA as a multilateral and international agreement, emphasizing that although Iran has other options, the JCPOA is a logical agreement that adherence to it will benefit all parties. On Friday, November 21, at a joint press conference with his Czech counterpart, Lubomir Zaoralek, in Prague, he stated that the JCPOA is not a bilateral agreement and urged all signatory parties to adhere to this 'logical agreement' which has also been approved by the UN Security Council. Zarif reminded that Iran has remained committed to its obligations under the JCPOA, but unfortunately, even the current U.S. administration has 'not fully implemented its part.' He further emphasized that Iran wants to remain committed to the JCPOA if all other parties do the same. He stated, 'We believe that the benefit of all lies in positive interaction, and I think when the dust settles and people become aware of the realities of the region and the world, everyone will accept that this is a multilateral commitment accepted by the U.S., the EU, and the other parties.' Zarif added that 'many individuals and countries have been involved in this matter, and I believe adherence to the JCPOA is beneficial for all.' At the same time, he noted that if there are doubts about the implementation of the JCPOA, 'Iran will also have its options.' During this press conference, the Czech Foreign Minister also emphasized that 'we will not be passive regarding this JCPOA as a member of the EU; we were part of the negotiations and part of the nuclear agreement.' Lubomir Zaoralek added that 'we are aware of all the good reasons for this agreement, and therefore it is important for us that this agreement is fully implemented.' Following Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, ambiguities arose regarding the future of the nuclear agreement between Iran and global powers, as Trump had described the JCPOA as a bad agreement during his campaign, stating that it needed to be renegotiated. Iranian officials have described these remarks as propaganda, but on the other hand, Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, threatened that 'if the Americans tear up the JCPOA, we will burn it.' The Iranian Foreign Minister also stated yesterday in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, that if the JCPOA fails, Tehran has other options. He explained that 'Iran's options are not limited, but our hope and desire, and our preference, is the full implementation of the nuclear agreement.' Mohammad Javad Zarif, just hours after Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, stated that Washington 'is obliged to implement the JCPOA.' The new U.S. president's approach to the JCPOA has also fueled concerns globally, as Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, stated that Trump cannot unilaterally cancel the JCPOA. Mark Toner, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, also warned against the new president canceling this agreement. Toner stated, 'We believe it is in everyone's interest, in the world's interest, for Iran and all parties to adhere to the agreement, thus we can close Iran's path to nuclear weapons.' The nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 was implemented in January 2016, and since then, the Islamic Republic has shut down many of its centrifuges in exchange for the lifting of a significant portion of international sanctions.