News in Brief
Diplomat: JCPOA ‘window of opportunity’ not open
forever
Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs and top negotiator for JCPOA revival talks, said the United States dealt a devastating blow to the international rule of law by withdrawing from Iran nuclear deal some five years ago, adding that the opportunity to revive the deal is not always there.
Bagheri made the remarks on Tuesday on the fifth anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018.
“A critical reminder: 5 years ago, the U.S. rendered a fatal blow to ‘rule of law at the international level’ by unlawfully withdrawing from JCPOA. Ever since, the U.S. has failed to reverse its wrongful act. Iran’s legitimate remedial measures will continue,” Bagheri Kani wrote on his Twitter account. “The full implementation of JCPOA (with effective sanctions lifting at its core) could be resumed, should the reneging party (and EU/E3) demonstrate credible political will to that effect. No opportunity is forever!” Iran’s top negotiator cautioned.
Chemical arms threaten int’l peace: Envoy
PRESS TV – Iran’s envoy to the UN says the Islamic Republic, which is historically one of the main victims of chemical weapons, denounces the use of such weapons altogether as it is a serious violation of international law and a crime against humanity.
Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, made the remarks while addressing a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Monday.
He added that the use of chemical weapons constitutes a threat to international peace and security.
Pointing to the systematic use of chemical weapons against the Iranian people by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the imposed war against Iran, he said the Iranian people will never forget the role of certain Western countries in helping Saddam’s regime get its hands on such weapons.