Russian diplomat terms US JCPOA behavior as dangerous for world

Moscow, IRNA - Permanent Representative of Russia to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov in a message described US behavior regarding Iran nuclear deal as dangerous, saying it is a clumsy attempt to rewrite international law.

“It’s well known that rights come together with obligations and vice versa,” Ulyanov tweeted on Thursday.

“This inextricable link was confirmed by International Court of Justice,” he added.

He noted that but the US seriously believes that it can exercise rights "under UNSC res.2231 on #JCPOA and ignore its obligations under the same resolution".

“At the same time, the US insists that under #NPT #Iran has only obligations but no right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy despite of Article 4 of NPT,” the Russian diplomat said.

“This isn’t just a double standard. This is a clumsy attempt to rewrite int. law. Dangerous, especially for non- proliferation,” he reiterated.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has recently claimed that the US is still a participant to the UNSC Resolution 2231 and can request an extension of Iran’s arms embargo based on the Article 11 of the Resolution.

With its unilateral exit from Iran nuclear deal two years ago, the United States violated its commitments under the 2015 multilateral accord and a subsequent UNSC Resolution 2231 as well.

Russia, China, as two other signatories to Iran nuclear deal, as well as some European countries and Iran have made clear that the US claim is a misconception of the Resolution. They reiterated that Washington is no longer a party to Iran nuclear deal as it has unilaterally withdrawn from the accord.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reacted to US' claim of participating in Iran nuclear deal, saying: "Those who muse about injecting disinfectant to 'clean' the coronavirus, also argue that they are a 'participant' in a UN Security Council Resolution endorsing a deal that they long ago 'ceased participating' in. Their own words."

He also released a separate message in response to "The Guardian" new report that half of the world nuclear arms spending was related to the United States last year, saying: "Need I add anything?"

The world’s nuclear-armed nations spent a record $73 billion on their weapons last year, with the US expenditure almost as much as the eight other states combined, according to a new report.