Iran urges Europe to defy Trump on imposing new sanctions
1 Oct 2017 9:57 PM IST
Tehran: Iran has warned that the only way to stop its nuclear deal from collapsing is for Europe to defy any US reimposition of sanctions, Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran would develop much more advanced nuclear technology — though not for weapons purposes — if Europe followed the United States in returning to a sanctions regime, Xinhua reports.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is responsible for verifying that Iran meets the terms of the agreement.
The US President Donald Trump has attacked the deal on numerous occasions, vowing to tear it up.
On October 15, Trump is due to testify to Congress whether Tehran is complying with the deal and whether it remains in the United States' interests to stick by it.
If he decides it is not, it could open the way for the US lawmakers to reimpose sanctions, leading to the potential collapse of the agreement.
Meanwhile, Germany welcomed US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's announcement that he was "probing" opportunities for dialogue with North Korea about its nuclear weapons program and called for Washington to take a similar step with Iran.
German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel also warned in a statement that going back on a nuclear deal with Iran signed by former US President Barack Obama would risk undermining Washington's credibility in negotiating with North Korea.
In 2015, Tehran agreed to restrict its nuclear program in return for the loosening of economic sanctions that had crippled its economy.
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