Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Japanese prime minister on Thursday that “a multilateral deal cannot be treated unilaterally,” referring to nuclear deal wich was withdrawn by the United States.
During a meeting with the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Zarif reiterated Iran’s position toward the deal, stressing that the only way to save the JCPOA is that all parties to the deal fully respect it.
Zarif accused the United States of an “unacceptable” escalation of tensions and said Tehran was showing “maximum restraint”.
“The escalation by the United States is unacceptable,” the top Iranian diplomat said, adding; “We exercise maximum restraint… in spite of the fact that the United States withdrew from JCPOA last May.”
The US last year, unilaterally pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said last week that his country would revisit part of its commitments to the nuclear deal if other parties to the deal do not fulfill their obligations against Washington’s hostile policies.
During the meeting, the two sides also conferred on ways to expand bilateral relations, as well as the current developments in the region and across the globe.
Abe said Japan would like to maintain, and develop, its traditionally friendly ties with Iran, Mehr news agency reported.
He told Zarif that he was concerned about growing tension in the Middle East region.
Earlier on Thursday, Zarif, who is heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation to Tokyo, met his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono.
The top Iranian diplomat visited Russia and India before traveling to Japan.
Source: Iranian media
