Iran Nuclear Deal Future Depends on World's Readiness to Respond to US Challenges - Moscow

UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th May, 2019) The future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as Iran nuclear deal, depends on the global community's readiness to jointly respond to Washington's destructive actions, Vladimir Ermakov, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control, told Sputnik.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and reimposed all Iran sanctions, previously lifted under the agreement, a year ago. As a response, Iranian President Mohammad Javad Zarif announced on May 8 that Tehran would partially discontinue its commitments under the deal, giving Europe 60 days to ensure that Iran's interests were protected under the agreement.

"We believe that the future of the nuclear deal, as well as of the global nonproliferation regime, largely depends on the global community's readiness to look for consolidated response to serious challenges coming from the United States, instead of making unjustified attempts to please Washington," Ermakov said.

Russia will certainly welcome the UK-German-French initiative to create the Special Purpose Vehicle, a protective mechanism that would enable Iran's partners to continue doing legal trade with the country despite Washington's sanctions, the official stressed.

"Meanwhile, this mechanism is yet to be launched, and only after this we will be able to assess its efficiency. Its adjustment takes quite a long time because of the US obsessed policy of stifling Iran ... Already now we can hear voices of Europeans who threaten to disconnect Iran from this mechanism, which has not even been launched yet, over some 'concerns,' and this makes us worry," Ermakov said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that he expected to have on Tuesday a frank conversation about Iran with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo. Lavrov also said that he hoped to hear an explanation of how Washington planned to solve the crisis around the JCPOA.

Lavrov and Pompeo will hold talks in the Russian resort city of Sochi later in the day. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin will then receive them in his residency in Sochi.