Iran’s Zarif seeks Russian support as US pressure builds
The Iranian foreign minister went to Moscow for help against US efforts to extend an arms embargo against Iran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his country will not allow the United States to manipulate the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a tool to destroy the fragile Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Standing next to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov at a presser in Moscow, Zarif also took aim at the IAEA itself, warning it of an Iranian response if the agency takes “illogical” steps toward destroying the JCPOA. Zarif did not specify the nature of Iran’s reaction, but defended his country’s “transparent cooperation as verified” in 15 reports by the UN nuclear watchdog.
