Iran’s losses must be fully compensated to preserve nuclear deal — top diplomat

In a letter to his counterparts from other countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called for resolute actions to resist Washington’s "ever-expanding economic bullying"

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MOSCOW, June 7. /TASS/. States parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program should make up for losses sustained by Tehran as a result fo US withdrawal and sanctions, Iran’s top diplomat said on Thursday.

In a letter to his counterparts from other countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called for resolute actions to resist Washington’s "ever-expanding economic bullying."

"My letter to fellow foreign ministers on steps to take to address US' unlawful withdrawal from JCPOA. Its ever-expanding economic bullying requires action to save not just the accord, but multilateralism and the rule of law," Zarif said in his Twitter account, where he posted the full text of the letter.

"If JCPOA is to survive, the remaining JCPOA participants and other economic partners need to ensure that Iran is compensated unconditionally through appropriate national, regional and global measures," the letter reads.

According to the minister, JCPOA provisions and UN Security Council resolution 2231 confirm Iran’s "unquestionable right" to take "appropriate action in response to the persistent and numerous unlawful acts by the US, particularly its withdrawal from the agreement and its unilateral re-imposition of all sanctions."

the letter, Zarif also sharply criticized US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s May 21 statement, which reiterates Washington’s accusations against Tehran and threatens the Islamic Republic with "the strongest sanctions in history" if it fails to comply with US demands.

"I am confident that your esteemed government is fully aware of the falsehood of the allegations against my country and the illegality of the US Secretary of State’s demands," Zarif said.

"Unlike the United States and its current and former allies the Islamic Republic of Iran has never invaded another country and has been on the forefront of helping its neighbors - upon their requests - to fight extremist terrorists that are armed and financed by the US and its regional clients," he continued.

The JCPOA was agreed between Tehran and six world powers (Britain, Germany, China, Russia, the United States and France) in 2015. In January 2016, it entered into the implementation phase. The plan envisages the lifting of sanctions from Iran imposed by the UN Security Council, the United States and the European Union. In exchange Tehran pledged to restrict its nuclear program and put it under international control.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington quit the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which curbed Tehran’s nuclear activity in exchange for lifting the UN Security Council’s sanctions and unilateral restrictions introduced by the US and the EU. The White House said that the JCPOA provided Iran with opportunities for creating a nuclear bomb by evading all current restrictions. Trump vowed to reinstate the previous sanctions in the next 90 or 180 days and slap new restrictions should Tehran carry out its nuclear ambitions. The US president called for signing a new deal with Tehran. Meanwhile, Washington put forward a list of 12 demands, which Iran says cannot be implemented.