Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States will likelyreceivea low grade for its commitment toimplementation of last Julys nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.
Zarif made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Iran's IRIB News Agencyon the occasion of the first anniversary of the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia plus Germany on July 14, 2015.
If we want to give a grade to the JCPOA, it will definitely get a very good score consideringthe time frameand international circumstances, but if we want to give a grade to the way that the Americans implemented [the agreement], they will probably receive a low score, said Zarif, who headed Iran'snuclear negotiating team in talks withthe six countries.
He added that the JCPOA is a very important achievement for the Islamic Republic as itsafeguardedthe Iranian nations dignity onthe international scale, recognized its rights, scrapped theresolutions of the United Nations Security Council and prevented new sanctions against the country.
Iran and the six world powers started implementing the JCPOA on January 16.
Under the deal, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US should be lifted. Iran has, in return, put some limitations on its nuclear activities.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"]
Representative of Iran, the P5+1, and the EU pose for a group picture at the United Nations building in Vienna, Austria July 14, 2015 after reaching a nuclear agreement. (AFP Photo)[/caption]Zarif emphasized that the JCPOA was "a verydefensible document which proved that nothing can be imposed on the Iranian nation through pressure.
He reasserted Iran's continuedimplementation of itsobligations under the JCPOA with seriousness and precision, and the country's resolve to preventthe opposite side from failing to meet its own commitments.
Following the JCPOA implementation, many European banks started transacting with their Iranian counterparts, he said.
However, a number of banks are still in fear of US regulations, but we believe that such fearis a psychological fear emanating from conservative nature of monetary and banking institutions and not from regulations which prevent cooperation with Iran, the foreign minister pointed out.
He said Iran has focused its attention on making the best use of theopportunity created after the JCPOA implementation, but the country will always remember that the US does not keep its promises.
Zarif added that Washington has certainlyfailed to make enough efforts to allay the international communitys concerns, which were the result of its policies against Tehran over almost a decade.
After the JCPOA went into effect, congressional Republicans have introduced many sanctions bills and other legislation to undermine the agreement that is viewed as a foreign policy legacy of President Obama's administration.
The American banks are still banned from dealing with Iran as part of an old US trade embargo that still remains in place. Accordingly, this is believed to have already effectively blocked any transactions with Iran which is based on US dollar, because they would ultimately have to be cleared in the US.
By Press TV
