Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Iran prepared to resume nuclear activities

Iran is prepared to resume its nuclear activities if the United States continues its “lack of commitment” to the nuclear deal between Iran and the West, the country’s Foreign Minister declared on Tuesday.

“If the U.S. creates a situation that continuation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would damage Tehran’s national interest, then Iran is completely ready to come back to the situation it had prior to the JCPOA and even more powerfully than before,” the minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, told reporters, according to the IRNA news agency.

Zarif claimed that over the past few months, “we have succeeded in making operational the most advanced centrifuges that were just an idea at the time of approving the JCPOA.”

He reiterated, however, that Iran is still committed to the nuclear deal.

The comments come amid tensions between Iran and the United States over President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to tear up the nuclear deal if elected.

Iranian officials have downplayed Trump’s threats to annul the nuclear deal, insisting he cannot do so even if he wishes.

Zarif has said in the past that Trump would be “surprised” by his country if he annuls the deal, though he did not explain what he meant by that. READ MORE