Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has slammed US President Donald Trump for his recent threats to “decertify” the Iranian nuclear deal.
Zarif said on Saturday Trump’s threats would not “help peace and security in the region” and would harm the long-term interests of the US, agencies reported citing Tasnim news agency.
Trump has threatened to withdraw his endorsement of the nuclear deal with Iran next week, leaving its survival in the hands of a divided Congress.
Trump also called the nuclear deal, reached during former US President Barack Obama’s administration, “the worst ever deal” and “an embarrassment” for the US.
“I think it is an ill-informed statement, because certainly, any deal would not be a perfect one for all sides; it has to be less than perfect so all sides can live with it,” Zarif said on Saturday, adding the international community could never trust Washington again if it violates the deal.
“The nuclear deal is the result of 10 years of posturing and two years of negotiations. Unfortunately, this administration is going back to posturing,” he said.
Any breaches of the deal by the US would result in Iran’s partial or complete withdrawal from the agreement, the Iranian minister warned, adding that Tehran would be undeterred by threats of sanctions.
On the other, Zarif said Tehran is ready for dialogue and rapprochement with Riyadh.
“There is a willingness for rapprochement on both sides, and we are willing to talk to Saudi Arabia about our difference,” he said.
“We do not believe that Iran and Saudi Arabia should have the type of relationship they have right now,” Zarif said.
However, Zarif slammed what he said Saudi Arabia’s support for terrorist groups in Syria and its aggression on Yemen, as well as its treatment of Qatar.
“We believe the posture in the Persian Gulf by Saudi Arabia is not a positive one, (like) the policies they pursue against Qatar,” Zarif said, adding that Saudi Arabia was using claims of Iranian expansionism to justify its own attempts to exert influence in the region.
“The concepts they are using to muddy the waters, policies that have brought unfortunate disastrous consequences for our region, cannot be justified by these smokescreens of exporting revolutions,” he added.