US withdrawal from JCPOA, big political folly: Iran's Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the United States would be making "a very big" political mistake if it pulls out of the 2015 multilateral agreement over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Rouhani made the remarks in a meeting with the new Polish Ambassador to Tehran, Jarosław Marcin Domański, on Saturday amid speculation about possible withdrawal of the US from the landmark nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Except for one or two countries, the international community currently supports the JCPOA and the US administration is undoubtedly making a miscalculation in this regard," he said.

He added that protecting the nuclear deal would increase the optimism of the international community toward the diplomatic settlement of issues.

"Commitment to the JCPOA can constitute a very strong base for the establishment of broader cooperation between Iran and the European Union and promotion of peace and security in the region and the world," Rouhani said.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement 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.

US President Donald Trump on January 12 reluctantly agreed to waive sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the landmark deal, but said it would be the last time he issued such a waiver unless conditions were met.

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US President Donald Trump has waived nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, according to the White House.

Trump said he wanted America's European allies to use the 120-day period before sanctions relief again came up for renewal to agree to tougher measures and new conditions, otherwise Washington would pull out of the deal.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Friday that the JCPOA would collapse if the US withdrew from the agreement.

PressTV-Iran deal to collapse if US withdraws: Russia

Russia warns that Iran's nuclear deal cannot survive if the US withdraws from the agreement.

"It cannot keep alive in a re-negotiated form, especially regarding the demands by the United States. It would not be acceptable for Iran and it is clear now, I believe, that the Europeans do understand this danger right now," Lavrov told reporters at the UN.

For his part, Domański said Poland, as an important country of the European Union and a member of the UN Security Council, would make efforts to protect the JCPOA.

The ambassador, who submitted his credentials to President Rouhani, added that his country's businessmen were keen to make investment in Iran's economic sector.

Iran to honor JCPOA as long as all sides keep to deal: Rouhani

Meanwhile, in a meeting with Cypriot Ambassador to Tehran Petros Nacozis, the Iranian president said the Islamic Republic's compliance with the JCPOA depended on all sides' fulfillment of their obligations under the deal.

"As long as our negotiating sides in the JCPOA are committed to their obligations, we will also remain committed," Rouhani said.

He added that the JCPOA played a very important role in regional peace, stability and development.

Elsewhere in the meeting, the Iranian president said the Islamic Republic welcoms enhanced peace and development in the region and across the world and added that Tehran supports the independence and integrity of Cyprus.

Pointing to great capacities of Iran and Cyprus in various economic fields, he said the two countries could strengthen economic relations by improving banking cooperation.

The Cypriot ambassador, who submitted his credentials to President Rouhani, said Tehran and Nicosia were pursuing common goals based on the promotion of regional peace and stability.

He underlined the need for the sustainability of the JCPOA, saying the deal contributed to promotion of regional peace and stability.

Positive Iran-Chile cooperation key to global security: Rouhani

Also, in a meeting with Chile’s first-ever envoy to Tehran Ignacio Llanos on Saturday, Rouhani said Iran and Chile could boost positive cooperation on international peace, security and development.

"We seek sustainable peace and stability and the fight against terrorism and violence in the world, and we believe that all countries must cooperate with each other in this regard," the Iranian president said.

He said all nations were currently concerned about the arms race in the world.

He also called for bolstering cooperation with Latin American countries, including Chile.

Llanos, who submitted his credentials to the Iranian president, called for the removal of obstacles in the way of developing banking cooperation aimed at boosting trade and economic relations.

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