Iran will not negotiate with the “unreliable” US administration – Zarif

Tabnak – Declaring withdrawal from the 1955 treaty of amity with Iran was the latest move by the US administration against the Islamic Republic, aimed at maximizing pressures on Tehran. In response, Tehran once again reiterates that Washington’s move proves how unreliable when it comes to international commitments.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States has once again proved that it is not a "reliable negotiating partner" by pulling out of a decades-old treaty with Iran, stressing that US President Donald Trump is not bound by any negotiated settlement.

"They (the US) were always saying that we want a treaty with Iran. Now they just withdrew from the [1955 Treaty of Amity] that we have with the United States because the International Court of Justice ruled against them," Zarif said in an interview with Qatar-based broadcaster Aljazeera in New York released on Friday.

"That tells you that whatever you negotiate with this president and with this administration, they're not going to be bound by it," he added.

In response to a question about the US move to pull out from the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Zarif once again defended the deal that is in the "interest of the international community."

"The nuclear deal is the best the United States can get, and it's the best Iran can get, and it's the best the international community can get," the top Iranian diplomat told UpFront host Mehdi Hasan.

Asked if Iran will ever meet with the US president or members of his administration, Zarif said, "In politics, never say never. But I believe that there is need for a serious change in the [US] administration." He emphasized that Iran is "not actually eager to meet with" President Trump because the "United States is not a reliable negotiating partner."

The Iranian foreign minister further stressed that Tehran should benefit from the "economic dividends" of the JCPOA. "Iran has given the Europeans some time, because they asked us for some time to try to compensate for US departure from the nuclear deal," he added. "That means that Iran needs to receive the economic dividends of the deal."

Asked about his stance on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, the Iranian foreign minister said, "I condemn anybody using chemical weapons." He further pointed out that "We condemn any attacks against civilians no matter who does it.”

Washington has accused the Syrian government of attacking civilians with chemical weapons in previous operations, including in Douma near capital Damascus and in Khan Shaykhun in Idlib. Syrian authorities have strongly denied any involvement in either case, saying the attacks had been carried out by militants to slow Syria’s progress in the fight against terror.