Speaking to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Thursday evening in New York, Mohammad-Javad Zarif said that the Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu trumped up a case of 'notebook' some years ago, and built hype for it, making the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to spend much time and money to investigate it.
In his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Netanyahu accused Iran of having a 'secret warehouse' of nuclear material.
He also scolded the IAEA for neglecting the alleged warehouse.
'When they came over and conducted inspections, they closed the case,' he said.
Netanyahu should explain how Israel as the only owner of nuclear weapons in the Middle East can take a position to blatantly accuse a country that the peaceful nature of its nuclear program has been repeatedly confirmed by the IAEA.
The international nuclear watchdog has repeatedly confirmed Iran's commitment to its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal, with its latest report having been released on August 30.
Israel is making such claims only to distance itself from the facts on the ground, that the regime is itself the biggest threat to the Middle East, Zarif said.
Netanyahu stands beside a nuclear weapon plant and warns other countries of nuclear attack, he added.
Commenting on the mechanism setting in place by the remaining signatories to the nuclear deal, known as the Group 4+1, the Iranian foreign minister said the Europeans have made extensive efforts by signing agreements at least with five central banks to create a special financial solution for doing business with Iran.
They are seeking to turn the solution into an institution in the future, Zarif said.
The European parties to the deal—France, UK, Germany—have vowed to keep the deal alive after the US withdrawal.
'The part that has to do with Iran will be implemented in the near future, but the issue of establishing an institution with a scope beyond Iran might take more time,' Iran's top diplomat said.
The solution is a helpful one for protecting financial institutions whose transactions are based on dollar and might be targeted by the US sanctions.
The US has reimposed economic sanctions on Iran and threatened other countries, including its main ally, the European Union, of secondary sanctions if they keep doing business with Iran.
The Iranian top diplomat also referred to the meeting with his Indian counterpart and said 'They have emphasized that they will continue their oil import from Iran.'
The only issue is the way of payment that is being explored, he said.
