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Diplomat warns US will be responsible for potential collapse of Iran nuclear deal

A Russian diplomat stresses no changes and amendments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear deal are possible

SOCHI, November 1. /TASS/. The responsibility for the possible "collapse" of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Tehran’s nuclear program will lie entirely with the United States, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Wednesday.

"The situation is deteriorating, as the sentiment in the US Congress is highly anti-Iranian," he noted. "The responsibility for the potential collapse of the JCPOA will rest entirely with the American side."

According to Ryabkov, no amendments and additions to the nuclear deal are possible. "No changes, amendments or corrections to the current agreement are possible, as it is a very well-measured and delicate balance of interests and compromises," he said.

The senior diplomat stressed that any additions to the agreement "should be a totally different issue for discussion." "I see no intention to conduct such discussions with the Iranian side," he noted. "Just like other JCPOA participants, we believe that the key objective now is to fully implement what has been achieved."

"No changes, amendments or corrections to the current agreement are possible, as it is a very well-measured and delicate balance of interests and compromises," Ryabkov said. "If something needs to be discussed additionally, it should be a totally different issue for discussion." "I see no intention to conduct such discussions with the Iranian side," he noted.

The US is trying to negatively affect cooperation between Moscow and Teheran, he said. "Iran is our neighbor, partner and a friendly country," he said. "Under the current circumstances, as both our countries are subject to the ongoing pressure of our ill-wishers, including the United States, who has made it its policy, it is even more important to maintain contacts and cooperation [between Russia and Iran] in every field," the senior Russian diplomat added.

The US "is trying to strengthen sanctions pressure both over Russia and Iran," he said. "We feel destructive influence from the American side, which is trying, in particular, to negatively affect cooperation (between Moscow and Teheran) through its stable, powerful positions in the financial banking sector by creating obstacles for normal financial transactions; many other things are also happening in this area. We can see it and are looking for alternatives," Ryabkov stressed.

"I think we should further advance towards weaker dependence on the American dollar and the American banking system. Not just Russia and Iran, but many other countries as well are starting to understand it better," the diplomat concluded.

Putin's visit to Iran 

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Tehran will be marked by new important agreements, the diplomat said. 

"We will continue working with Iran in various areas, the way we did before, in accordance with the existing agreements, international law, our own legislative and other norms," Ryabkov said. "I am confident that today’s visit by the Russian President to Tehran will be marked by new important agreements, and we will soon learn about them."

"Like any serious international player, Iran has clear-cut interests of its own, including on Syria. We also have a rather comprehensive, strait and clear agenda," the diplomat highlighted. "If any questions arise regarding Russia’s and Iran’s positions on the Syrian issues, we address them on a routine basis through consultations, through a dialogue. I stress, [these are] questions, and not tensions or even conflicts."

"We are guarantor states in the Astana process (along with Turkey - TASS) and the way the Astana process is operating shows a high level of mutual understanding between Russia and Iran," the deputy foreign minister noted.

"I am confident that today, when Russian President [Vladimir Putin] is in Teheran, the Syrian issue will be one of the major ones in the international bloc," Ryabkov added.

On Wednesday, Putin will pay a working visit to Tehran to take part in a trilateral meeting with Iranian and Azerbaijani Presidents, Hassan Rouhani and Ilham Aliyev.