Iranian, German Top Diplomats Discuss JCPOA
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, exchanged views about a range of issues, including the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), urging all parties to meet their commitments.
In a telephone conversation on Friday night, Zarif stressed the need for all sides to fulfill their obligations under the JCPOA and called on the European sides to pressure the US to remain committed to the deal.
The two foreign ministers also stressed that Tehran’s missile program has nothing to do with the nuclear agreement with the world powers.
In a visit to Jordan earlier this month, Maas said his government will exert “considerable efforts” to protect the JCPOA, calling for a “firewall” between the nuclear deal and Iran’s other activities.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to curbs and inspections on its nuclear program in exchange for relief from anti-Tehran sanctions.
US President Donald Trump in January set a 120-day deadline for US lawmakers and European allies to “fix” his predecessor Barack Obama's main foreign policy achievement or face a US exit.
Since the historic deal was signed by Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) in Vienna in July 2015, the IAEA has repeatedly confirmed the Islamic Republic’s compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA, but some other parties, especially the US, have failed to live up to their undertakings.
In March, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned against serious repercussions of a US decision to pull out of the multilateral agreement, saying such a move would plunge the Middle East into war.
