Iran says Trump cannot undermine nuclear deal

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani defended the nuclear deal with world powers Saturday and said that US President Donald Trump could not impair it.

"In the nuclear talks and agreement, we reached issues and benefits that are not reversible. No one can turn that back, not Mr Trump or anyone else," Rouhani was quoted as saying by Press TV.

Iran signed the nuclear deal – Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – with six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US in July 2015. It now faces the danger of failure amid a fallout between Washington and Tehran.

Trump called the Iran nuclear deal, reached during former US President Barack Obama's administration, "an embarrassment" for the US.

Trump also called the Iran nuclear deal, "the worst ever deal" and "an embarrassment" for the US. /Reuters Photo

He threatened to withdraw his endorsement of the deal next week, leaving its survival in the hands of a divided Congress.

Rouhani, however, stated that the pact's positive results cannot be rollbacked as Iran is eligible to benefit from the deal.

"In negotiation, we showed that we are not just strong at war, but we're also strong at making peace," he said, adding that Iran established its right to peaceful nuclear energy during the talks and "this victory is not reversible."

He said the deal had been based on a win-win framework and the US claims of shortchanging in the deal were wrong.

Rouhani also said his country would respond "decisively and resolutely" to any violation by any party, adding Iran would not be the first country to violate the agreement.

Talking tough

Trump's comments against the nuclear deal are drawing sharp rebuke from Iran, with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif lashing out at him for his recent threats to "decertify" the agreement, Xinhua cited Tasnim news agency.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has lashed out at US President Donald Trump for his comments against the nuclear deal. /Reuters Photo‍

Trump's threats would not "help peace and security in the region" and would harm the long-term interests of the United States, Zarif said.

"I think it is an ill-informed statement because certainly, any deal would not be a perfect one for all sides; it has to be less than perfect so all sides can live with it," Zarif said, adding that the international community could never trust Washington again if it breaks the deal.

"The nuclear deal is the result of 10 years of posturing and two years of discussions. Unfortunately, this administration is going back to posturing," he said.

Any violations of the deal by the US would result in Iran's partial or complete withdrawal from the agreement, the Iranian minister warned, adding that Tehran would be undeterred by threats of restrictions.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last month called for support for the deal.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last month told a meeting between the foreign ministers of six countries and Iran at the UN Headquarters in New York that China supports the deal and is willing to work to preserve it. /Reuters Photo

He told a meeting between the foreign ministers of six countries and Iran at the UN Headquarters in New York that China is ready to continue its participation in the implementation process.

The deal is essential for international security governance as it has helped defuse the Iran nuclear crisis and has bolstered the global non-proliferation regime with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as its bedrock, said Wang.

(With input from Xinhua News Agency)