Tehran, Jan 13 (AFP) Iran today rejected any modificationof its nuclear deal with world powers after US PresidentDonald Trump demanded tough new measures to keep the agreementalive.
Iran "will not accept any amendments in this agreement,be it now or in the future, and it will not allow any otherissues to be linked to the JCPOA", the foreign ministry saidin a statement, using the 2015 deal's technical name.
It has the backing of all the partners to the agreementapart from the United States, with Russia warning Washingtonthat withdrawing would be "a big miscalculation".
"We are gradually coming to the conclusion that aninternal decision by the US to leave the JCPOA has alreadybeen made or is close to being made," Deputy Foreign MinisterSergei Ryabkov told the Interfax news agency.
"This could be one of Washington's big foreign policymistakes," he added.
Trump again waived nuclear-related sanctions yesterday -as required every few months to stay in the agreement - butdemanded that European partners work with Washington to "fixthe deal's disastrous flaws, or the United States willwithdraw".
He said the new deal should curb Iran's missile programmeand include permanent restrictions on Iran's nuclear plants,removing expiration dates due to kick in after a decade.
The other parties to the agreement - Britain, China,France, Germany, Russia and the European Union - have all saidthe deal is working and that Iran is complying fully with itscommitments.
Britain and Germany said yesterday they had taken note ofTrump's latest decision and would confer with France beforeresponding.
On the streets of Tehran, many have grown cynical andexasperated by the endless pressure from the United States.
"It doesn't make any difference. We have been under USsanctions for the last 40 years," said Farshad Alyan, a 26-year-old law student.
"Two years ago when the JCPOA was signed we were sohopeful. We don't have that hope any more."Iran argues that continued US sanctions on non-nuclearareas such as human rights and missile testing haveeffectively barred it from gaining many of the financialbenefits expected from the deal.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said Trump'saggressive stance on the deal and Iran generally have alsoviolated the commitment to "refrain from any policyspecifically intended to directly and adversely affect thenormalisation of trade and economic relations with Iran" inthe accord.
"Trump has once again avoided the nuclear option on thenuclear deal. But the clear reluctance with which he hasissued the sanctions waivers will continue to weigh on thebusiness community," said Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder ofthe Europe-Iran Forum, a business network.
"However, if the 'adults in the room' prevailed this timeand kept Trump from exiting the deal, there remains hope theywill prevail in the end," he added.
Responding to Trump's speech late yesterday, Zariftweeted: "Rather than repeating tired rhetoric, US must bringitself into full compliance - just like Iran."Today's statement from Iran's foreign ministry furthercriticised new sanctions on 14 individuals announced by the USTreasury yesterday over human rights issues and Iran's missileprogramme.
In particular, placing judiciary chief Ayatollah SadeghLarijani on the sanctions list "crossed all red lines ofconduct in the international community... and the governmentof the United States will bear responsibility for all theconsequences of this hostile move". (AFP)MRJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.