Russia rejects any prospect for changes, additions to Iran nuclear deal

Russia says it sees no room for amendments or additions to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world countries as a deadline looms for the US to announce whether or not it will keep its side of the bargain.

According to reports, Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, voiced concerns on Thursday over the remarks recently made by the US and French presidents, Donald Trump and Emanuel Macron respectively, on the Iran deal.

“We are seriously concerned by all of this - I am referring to comments made by the presidents of the United States and France about the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iran nuclear program. Russia has repeatedly said that there is no possibility for some kind of revote for this document, changing or enlarging it,” she said.

Macron paid a visit to Washington this week amid European efforts to dissuade Trump from killing the accord reached in 2015 between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries, including the US, France, Britain, Russia and China plus Germany.

The US president has called the JCPOA the “worst deal ever” and threatened to pull Washington out of the accord, which has the firm support of the entire global community.

The accord lifted Iran’s nuclear-related sanctions in exchange for Tehran limiting certain aspects of its nuclear program.

In January, Trump ramped up pressure on the European parties to the deal to fix what he claimed to be the “flaws” in the accord by May 12 or he would no more extend the sanctions relief for Iran; a US obligation under the JCPOA.

Despite the European Union’s repeated calls for the preservation of the Iran deal as it is, Macron hinted during a joint presser with Trump on Tuesday that there might be room for “a new deal” alongside the existing one, which would address Iran’s missile defense program and regional role.

SS