Iran accuses US of 'lack of compliance' on n-deal

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the US of not complying with the landmark nuclear agreement that took effect in January, and said American credibility would suffer if the accord was not honoured.

In his UN General Assembly speech on Thursday, Rouhani criticised what he described as an American failure to adhere to obligations under the agreement, which relaxed many economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for verifiable pledges of peaceful nuclear work, the New York Times reported.

Rouhani said that despite the intense diplomacy that had achieved the agreement between Iran and big powers, there was "not a very stellar report card by the US when it comes to fulfilling the agreement."

He spoke a day after American export licenses were granted so that Iran could buy dozens of new planes from Boeing and Airbus, the biggest commercial transactions between Iran and the West.

Rouhani called this agreement a model for how to resolve disputes peacefully. But he coupled it with a warning against "illegal actions" by Washington.

He complained that American restrictions on banking and dollar transactions with Iran, which were unaffected by the nuclear agreement, have discouraged many banks from engaging with the country because they worry about possible penalties from the US, the New York Times said.

While the lifting of nuclear sanctions has enabled Iran to produce and sell far more oil, and its economy is growing faster than in other oil-exporting countries, the nuclear accord has not led to a trade and investment boom in Iran, according to analysts.

--IANS

ksk