IRNA � US destabilized the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by withdrawing from Iranian nuclear deal, known also as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Russian foreign minister said.


Sergey Lavrov made the remarks in a ceremony held to commemorate the death anniversary of former Russian diplomat Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin.

The US weakened NPT by exiting the JCPOA and endangered the agreements reached about Iranian nuclear program, he added.

The official said the US' measures could increase tension in region.

The US president announced early May that Washington would pull out of Iran nuclear deal and reinstate sanctions, which had been lifted under the accord.

The first round of the sanctions snapped back into place in August, with the second round, targeting the energy and oil sectors, took effect on November 5.

This is while other signatories to the deal (i.e. Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia) have thus far criticized Washington's unilateral move and repeatedly renewed their commitment to the deal.