New US sanctions violate spirit of nuclear deal

The Trump administration grudgingly confirmed Monday night that Iran is complying with the terms of the international nuclear deal. Hours later, it slapped new economic sanctions on 18 Iranian individuals and groups by alleging that Iran is stirring up trouble in the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an interview with CBS NEWs’ Margaret Brennan, said the new sanctions are poisoning already strained relations between the two countries.

"It violates the spirit of the deal. We will look at it and see whether it violates the letter of the deal, and we will act accordingly," Zarif said added.

"President Trump said it's a bad deal for Americans and that there are flaws in it," Brennan said to Zarif.

"It isn't. Well, no deal is completely acceptable to everybody," he replied.

"You're saying Iran is not willing to negotiate?" Brennan asked.

"This is a multilateral deal, approved by the Security Council, and it's not a bilateral deal to be withdrawn from or to be renegotiated," he said.

The White House accuses Iran of supporting terrorists in Syria and Iraq, but Zarif disputed that and placed blame on US allies like Saudi Arabia.

"These are the countries that are producing terrorists for you. And the United States is going after Iran. I don't know why," Zarif said.

Another irritant: the travel ban on six majority Muslim countries, including Iran.

"What the United States has done against the Iranian people over the past several months have been really repugnant," Zarif said.

"You think it's up to President Trump to show some good will?" Brennan asked.

"I certainly think it is up to the US government to stop sending all these hostile signals," he said.

Zarif has been in New York for the UN meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development from 17-19 July. On the sidelines of the meeting, the Iranian top diplomat addressed the US Council on Foreign Relations, a meeting of UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), held talks with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and gave an interview to the National Interest. 

MS