US must change approach to JCPOA if seeks Iran talks: Zarif
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran would be open to talks with the United States about a new nuclear agreement if Washington changes its "approach" to discussing a 2015 nuclear deal it withdrew from earlier this year.
Zarif made the remarks in a wide-ranging exclusive interview over the weekend with USA TODAY as the US re-imposed economic sanctions on Iran’s energy and banking sectors on Monday.
He added that Iran would weigh fresh diplomacy if there were "foundations for a fruitful dialogue" on the Iran nuclear reduction deal.
"Mutual trust is not a requirement to start negotiations – mutual respect is a requirement," Zarif said in the 45-minute interview.
He emphasized that the current US "administration does not believe in diplomacy. It believes in imposition."
Elsewhere in his interview, Zarif pointed to various international agreements Trump has abandoned or renegotiated since taking office in January 2017 and said, “Mutual respect starts with respecting yourself, with respecting your signature, respecting your own word."
'Iran used to sanctions'
The top Iranian diplomat said Washington forces the international community to break a nuclear deal that was enshrined in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.
"The current US administration is essentially asking all members of the international community to violate international law," Zarif said, adding, "Iran is used to US sanctions. We've had them for almost 39 years."
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi told IRIB on Friday that the United States is seeking to wage an extensive “psychological war” against Tehran by imposing a fresh round of sanctions, stressing that the Islamic Republic has no concerns over such US bids.
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