Iran supports European plan to bolster nuclear deal

President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran supports a plan by European countries to bolster a nuclear deal that Tehran reached with West in 2015 and from which United States withdrew last year. Rouhani said that plan included preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, securing its support for regional peace, lifting US sanctions and immediate resumption of Iranian oil exports.

Speaking during a weekly cabinet meeting, Rouhani said, "We agree with general framework by Europeans."

Urged Tehran to enter talks

France, Britain, and Germany h urged Tehran to enter talks about a new arrangement on nuclear deal. Rouhani's comments come amid heightened tension between Tehran and Washington following US President Donald Trump's decision over a year ago to unilaterally pull out of nuclear deal with Iran. US has imposed sanctions that have kept Iran from selling its oil abro and have crippled its ecomy. Iran has since begun breaking terms of deal.

Rouhani said that Iran has never been after nuclear weapons and whenever rights of Iranian nation are considered in plans and negotiations, " ro is t closed, and ro is again open."

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He said plan could have been discussed during his New York visit last week to attend UN General Assembly but that President Donald Trump scuppered chances by openly threatening to impose more sanctions. Rouhani furr said that US President Trump in a private mess h told Europeans that he was rey but later told media that he wanted to intensify sanctions. He expressed gratitude for efforts by President Macron regarding plan.

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Foreign Minister Mohamm Jav Zarif told state TV later on Wednesday that even though Macron's four-point plan did t include Iran's views, "it is necessary that negotiations continue in an accurate way. We will continue communications." 

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'Japan applying efforts too'

Without elaboration, Zarif said that Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is applying efforts, too. Zarif furr ded that Iran has always wanted security in Persian Gulf and if Saudi Arabi changes its regional policy, it will find "open arms" from Iran. "We have always said that we are t after tensions with our neighbours," he said. Trump pulled US from 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and re-imposed sanctions on Iran sending country's ecomy into free fall. deal aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons in return for lifting sanctions. Iran has routinely denied seeking a nuclear weapon.

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