Iran’s Rouhani: No changes will be made to nuclear deal

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said yesterday that his country refuses to change a single article in the nuclear agreement signed in 2015 with the major powers and dismissed calls to broaden its terms or involve new partners.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently called on Iran to rejoin the agreement, before Washington did. Blinken said if Iran returned to the pact, Washington would seek to build a “longer and stronger agreement” that would address other “very difficult” issues.

Iran’s regional neighbours, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have said they should be “fully consulted in what goes on vis a vis the negotiations with Iran”.

However, yesterday, the Iranian president said: “No clause of the JCPOA will change. Know this. And no one will be added to the JCPOA,” referring to the deal by its official name; the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

“This is the agreement. If they want it, everyone comes into compliance. If they don’t, they can go live their lives,” he said.

Washington and Tehran: Who will make the first move?