Zarif warns US against 'painful mistake' of quitting nuclear deal

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned the United States against the "painful mistake" of pulling out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Considering what has been envisaged in the JCPOA in the field of research and development and the Islamic Republic of Iran's continued measures to develop its peaceful nuclear capability, if the US makes the mistake of exiting the JCPOA, it will definitely be a painful mistake for the Americans," Zarif told reporters on Friday upon his arrival in Tehran from the Kazakh capital of Astana, Press TV reported.

The foreign minister said US President Donald Trump has always sought "destroy the JCPOA," both before and after he took office in January 2017, adding that Washington has committed broad violations in the implementation of the nuclear accord.

Zarif further emphasized that the Islamic Republic is prepared for various scenarios.

"It has been fully foreseen in the JCPOA what measures the Islamic Republic of Iran would carry out if it cannot reap its (the agreement's) economic benefits," Zarif pointed out.

Washington has been accusing Tehran of not fulfilling its commitments under the deal.

This is while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has in several reports verified Iran’s commitment to the deal.   

Earlier this month, the IAEA head once again confirmed Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, warning that any collapse of the deal would be a "great loss."

"As of today, I can state that Iran is implementing its nuclear-related commitments… If the JCPOA were to fail, it would be a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism," Yukiya Amano said on March 5.

SS