Russian FM calls for preservation of Iran nuclear deal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said preserving the international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme was important, as failure of the deal would send "an alarming message for the entire international security architecture".

Speaking at the Security Council on Thursday, Lavrov said the overwhelming majority of the international community recognizes that the 2015 agreement between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Russia, the US plus Germany is making a tangible contribution to strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime and to the maintenance of international peace and security, Xinhua reported.

"We cannot for the benefit of political agendas of certain countries abandon a genuine achievement of international diplomacy," he said.

"The failure of JCPOA, especially as a result of one of the parties of the P5+1, would be an alarming message for the entire international security architecture, including the prospects for dealing with the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula," said Lavrov.

JCPOA (The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) refers to the Iran nuclear deal that was signed in July 2015.

Lavrov was clearly referring to threats from Washington that it might pull out of the deal unless it is to be "fixed."

US President Donald Trump last Friday waived nuclear sanctions against Iran but warned that he would not do it again unless the deal is modified.

Tehran has said it will not renegotiate the deal, under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

--IANS

pgh/