Iranian president attempts to salvage nuclear deal after US’ exit

The president of Iran continues to float the possibility of maintaining the general framework of the 2015 nuclear deal, notwithstanding the US’ departure from it.

By: World Israel News Staff

On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claimed that Tehran is open to maintaining the 2015 nuclear deal, which Iran’s foreign ministry seeks to redesign without the US’ participation.

Specifically, Rouhani claims that if the deal can still be structured in a manner in which its interests are protected, Tehran would be opening to remaining in the agreement, an accord that US President Donald Trump referred to as the “worst deal ever.”

In response to Trump’s move, Rouhani referred to the US’ exit from the nuclear accord as a “violation of morals” in remarks broadcast by state television, reported Reuters.

“If the remaining five countries continue to abide by the agreement, Iran will remain in the deal despite the will of America,” he commented during a meeting with the president of Sri Lanka, according to the Reuters report.

Rouhani’s comments arrive amid an effort by his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to confer with representatives of other signatories to the deal in an apparent attempt to prevent the deal from completely collapsing under the weight of the US’ departure.

The agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was intended to be the crowning diplomatic achievement of Barack Obama’s presidency. President Trump savaged the accord throughout the campaign as a “horrible” deal, vowing to “fix it or nix it,” a promise he kept when he withdrew the US from the agreement last week.

Whether or not Iran and the remaining signatories can carry on with the agreement without the US’ commitment remains to be seen. Without US involvement in the JCPOA, nations may be forced to choose between doing business with US entities or Iranian firms and government agencies, a scenario that would have perilous ramifications for an Iranian economy that teeters on the brink of disaster.