Iran’s Zarif dismisses sanctions, calls US ‘irresponsible actor’

Claiming to restore UN sanctions, the US announces new penalties on Iran as much of the global community disagrees.
Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Zarif has blasted the efforts of the United States government to reimpose sanctions during a digital address to the Council on Foreign Relations, calling the US an “irresponsible actor”.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has taken a hardline stance on Iran, pulling out of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly called the Iran nuclear deal.
The deal between Iran and world powers saw Tehran agree to curb its nuclear programme and allowing for regular, international inspections of their nuclear facilities in exchange for the lifting of certain international sanctions. It was hailed as an achievement of diplomacy, but the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018.
In his address on Monday, Zarif said Iran took a great step to engage with the administration of former US President Barack Obama.“We did that with [Former State Secretary John Kerry]. It wasn’t easy to start the negotiations, which resulted in JCPOA, those were extremely difficult negotiations, based on not mutual trust but mutual respect. Zarif told the CFR Iran needs the US to offer concessions as a sign of good faith to “renegotiate what has already been negotiated … And I think after these very difficult years of [US President Donald Trump], it is important for the United States to send the right signals to Iran, that it is willing to end this … policy of pressure.”
Almost simultaneously as Zarif made the comments, Trump announced an executive order blocking access to financial assets of those who engage in arms trade or training with Tehran, which he claims is necessary to enforce the UN arms blockade set to expire in October under the JCPOA.
“The United States has now restored UN sanctions on Iran,” Trump said in a statement issued shortly after he signed an executive order spelling out how the US will enforce the “snapback” of the sanctions. “My actions today send a clear message to the Iranian regime and those in the international community who refuse to stand up to Iran.”Source: aljazeera.com