President Rouhani warns of tough action against powers’ delay in implementing N. deal

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the world powers of Tehran’s serious reaction to their lagging and delay in implementing their undertakings under the Vienna nuclear agreement.

“We should monitor and verify the other side’s performance,” Rouhani said, addressing a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

“If we see any lagging and shortages from the other side, we should certainly show serious reaction,” he added.

His remarks came after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his US counterpart John Kerry in a meeting in New York conferred on Washington’s undertakings under the nuclear deal whose implementation has been delayed.

“Different issues related to the implementation of the US undertakings and removal of obstacles to Iran to fully use the nuclear deal’s advantages were discussed during the Tuesday meeting,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari said on Wednesday.

He added that during the Tuesday afternoon meeting in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development which took two and a half hours, the two high-ranking diplomats agreed to meet again on Friday to continue their talks on aforementioned issues.

In relevant remarks earlier this month, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani lashed out at the US for its destructive approach towards implementing the July nuclear agreement, and called on the EU to monitor Washington’s moves.

Speaking at a meeting with European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini in Tehran on Saturday, Shamkhani said the US is seeking to continue its sanctions policy against Iran and is troubling the implementation of the Vienna nuclear deal, and described Washington’s approach as “undesirable and unconstructive”.

Shamkhani, who is Iran’s top security official and his body has a major say in the nuclear deal, warned that in case the EU fails to adopt effective action to reverse the current trend, the United States’ present course of action will entail negative repercussions for continued cooperation and implementation of reciprocal undertakings under the nuclear agreement.

Also, last month, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei lashed out at the US for not remaining loyal to its undertakings based on the July nuclear agreement between Tehran and the world powers.

“The Americans did not act on what they promised in the nuclear accord (the JCPOA); they did not do what they should have done. According to Foreign Minister (Zarif), they brought something on the paper but prevented materialization of the objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran through many diversionary ways,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing a large group of people in the holy city of Mashhad, Northeastern Iran.

“What a hue and cry did they launch in the case of the missiles: Why Iran has long-ranged missiles? Why they (Iranians) aim and point to the target so precisely? Why they (Iranians) tested and why you (we Iranians) do military exercise?” he added.

“The Americans and one of the regional countries launch wargames every now and then in the Persian Gulf, which is several thousands of kilometers away of their country, while they have no responsibility there. Iran carries out military exercise in its own security boundary and home,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

Late in March, Zarif said the US government is duty-bound to fulfill its undertakings as per the nuclear deal reached between Tehran and the world powers.

“It does not matter which political party takes the helm. The nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is Washington’s commitment, and it has nothing to do with who is in power at the White House,” Zarif said.

He noted that the baseless allegations made during the presidential elections campaign should never be taken seriously, as JCPOA is a commitment of the US government and it does not matter who will win the next presidential race.

The Iranian foreign minister reiterated that the US government has made commitments that it should undertake, adding, “Unfortunately, some presidential candidates are pursuing mischief by using the poisonous atmosphere created by the Zionist lobby in Washington.”

“With the serious follow-up of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the US government is obliged to execute its commitments not only in theory but in practice,” Zarif said.

By Fars News Agency