Iran urges global action against US bids to undermine nuclear deal

Iran’s ambassador to the UN has denounced the US for its blatant violations of the 2015 nuclear deal, saying the world community must stand against Washington’s efforts to undermine the multinational pact, which enjoys strong global support.

Gholamali Khoshrou made the remarks following a Tuesday meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ periodic report with regard to the implementation of the nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

He added that the new US administration’s opposition to the JCPOA and its imposition of a series of new sanctions against Iran are in blatant violation of Washington’s commitments under the JCPOA, emphasizing that the global community should not allow the US to continue undermining the nuclear deal.

Khoshrou pointed to the allegations by US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley about Iran’s role in the region, noting that the US envoy failed to mention the destabilizing activities of her respective government and Washington’s multi-billion-dollar arms sales in the region, part of which ended up in the hands of Daesh Takfiri terrorists.

US efforts to link its baseless accusations against Iran’s missile program to the JCPOA are aimed at covering up its hegemonic policies in the Middle East, the senior diplomat added.

Khoshrou hailed the other signatories for honoring their obligations under the nuclear deal and noted that the US stood alone at the UNSC meeting due to its unconstructive approach towards the JCPOA.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016. Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

During the Tuesday meeting, the UN chief confirmed Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal, but noted that the UN Secretariat is investigating allegations with regard to Tehran’s ballistic missile program.

Also at the session, US ambassador Haley urged the Security Council to punish Iran for what the administration of US President Donald Trump calls Tehran’s “dangerous violations” of UN resolutions and “destabilizing behavior.”

She said the US will explore a number of options with UNSC members in the coming days to exert pressure against Iran and called for a tougher resolution which prohibits all Iranian ballistic missile activity, imposes sanctions against Tehran for alleged arms supplies to Yemeni fighters and holds the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) accountable for alleged violation of the UNSC resolutions.

However, Russia's deputy UN ambassador Vladimir Safronkov called on the parties to the nuclear deal “to abandon the language of threats and sanctions, and to start using the instruments of dialogue — and concentrate on broadening cooperation and mutual trust.”

Safronkov argued that the UN resolution on Tehran’s nuclear deal makes no demand, but it calls on Iran not to conduct ballistic missile activity that could be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

He lashed out at the UN Secretariat for conducting investigations without prior approval of the UNSC, adding that the UN Secretariat “has neither the authority nor the expertise” and the information obtained “cannot be considered accurate.”

Also at the meeting, the representative of Britain expressed support for the JCPOA and stressed that Iran has been committed to its obligations under the nuclear deal.

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