Zarif made the remarks Tuesday in an interview with American media Associated Press (AP).
“If Trump re-imposes sanctions, basically killing the deal,” Iran would no longer be bound by the pact’s international obligations, freeing it up to resume enrichment far beyond the deal’s strict limits,” AP quoted Zarif saying.
“If the United States were to withdraw from the nuclear deal, the immediate consequence in all likelihood would be that Iran would reciprocate and withdraw,” Zarif said.
“There won’t be any deal for Iran to stay in,” he added.
Commenting on US president’s policy toward international agreements, Zarif said, “They’re prepared to take everything that you’ve given, then renege on the promises that they have made in the deal.”
“That makes the United States a rather unlikely partner in any international agreement. And unfortunately this track record is not just limited to the nuclear deal. It includes the Paris climate agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and a lot of other freely undertaken commitments of the United States,” he reiterated.
According to AP, Zarif also pointed out that if Trump upends the nuclear deal, Iran could also choose to leave the global Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which aims to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
“Iran’s government isn’t advocating an exit, it is one of the options that is being advocated by some in Iran,” Iranian FM was quoted as saying.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Zarif pointed to anti-Iran allegations made by US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, saying, “US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has paraded missile parts ostensibly recovered in Saudi Arabia in front of reporters and U.N. Security Council diplomats, arguing that they bear markings and other characteristics proving their Iranian origin.”
“I’m not saying Ambassador Haley is fabricating, but somebody is fabricating the evidence she is showing,” Zarif said.
