If The Nuclear Deal Stays, It Stays In Full: Rouhani

TehranIrans President Hassan Rouhani rejected any hopes of rewriting a nuclear deal with world powers on Wednesday after the leaders of the United States and France called for a new pact covering Tehrans missile programme and regional interventions.

We have an agreement called the JCPOA, said Rouhani in a fiery speech, using the technical name for the 2015 deal that curbed Irans nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. It will either last or not. If the JCPOA stays, it stays in full. He was responding to statements in Washington by French President Emmanuel Macron and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, in which they proposed a new deal with tougher restrictions on Iran.

Mr. Trump called the existing accord insane and ridiculous, despite European pleas for him not to walk away, and demanded fresh curbs on Irans ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups across West Asia.

Mr. Macron said the new agreement should include a settlement on Syria, where Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad. In Iran, Mr. Rouhani responded by ridiculing Mr. Trump, saying: You have no expertise in politics, nor in law, nor in international accords. A tradesman, a businessman, a high-rise builder, how can he judge about global issues?

Iran has the support of all other parties to the accord, who say it is working and Tehran has stuck to its commitments.

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On Wednesday, EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini insisted the deal must be maintained. Moscow also reiterated its support, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters: We believe that no alternative exists so far and demanding that Iran be involved in any further discussions. Iran has warned it will ramp up enrichment if Mr. Trump walks away from the accord.

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