Iran won't be bullied to renegotiate nuclear deal: Zarif

Tehran: Iran will not be bullied by the United States into renegotiating the multilateral nuclear deal, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said, as another senior diplomat warned that US withdrawal from the pact would result in its termination.

"Iran stands firm in the face of futile attempts at bullying," Zarif said in a recorded message on Thursday. 

"If the US continues to violate the agreement, or if it withdraws altogether, we will exercise our right to respond in a manner of our choosing," he said referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

On 11 occasions, he said, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran has implemented all it obligations under the JCPOA, but "the US has consistently violated the agreement especially by bullying others from doing business with Iran."

Zarif also slammed the European countries' appeasement to US President Donald Trump as a deadline looms for Washington to announce whether it will continue suspending anti-Iran sanctions that were lifted under the nuclear accord.

"In the last year or so, we've been told that President Trump is unhappy with the deal and it now appears that the response from some Europeans has been to offer the United States more concessions from our pocket," he said.

"This appeasement entails promises of a new deal that would include matters we all decided to exclude at the outset of our negotiations, including Iran's defensive capabilities and regional influence. But please understand on both issues, it is Iran, not the West, that has serious grievances and much to demand," he added.

Referring to Iran's peaceful history, Zarif further noted that the country has never invaded another country, but has been invaded by others, the most recent example of which was its invasion by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein who was supported by the United States and its allies.

"Despite that haunting experience, we still spend a fraction of countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on defense and our missiles have a shorter range than those of Saudi Arabia. And unlike US allies in the region who have brainwashed, financed and armed groups such as al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the ISIS (Daesh), we have been pivotal in defeating these extremist groups," he noted.

The top Iranian diplomat also stressed that Iran will not renegotiate the nuclear deal, adding that the country stands firm against bullying.

"We will neither outsource our security, nor will we renegotiate or add on to a deal we have already implemented in good faith," Zarif said.

"In the coming days the United States will have to decide whether to finally abide by its obligations. Iran stands firm in the face of futile attempts and bullying. But if the US continues to violate the agreement, or if it withdraws altogether, we will exercise our right to respond in a manner of our choosing."

The Iranian foreign minister further warned that threats would not lead to a new deal and advised the US to meet its commitments under the JCPOA.

"Bluster or threats won't get the US a new deal, particularly as it is not honoring the deal it has already made." 

Zarif said, "Relying on cartoonish allegations, rehash from more than a decade ago and dealt with by the IAEA to make a case for nixing the deal has fooled no one."

"Thus, the US is well advised to finally start honoring its commitments or it and only it will have to accept responsibility for the consequences of not doing so," he added.

Ditch the deal?

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also said on Thursday one of Iran's options in response to US President Donald Trump's threat is to retreat.

Velayati said Iran would not allow any change to the deal, according to Iran's Mehr news agency.

Trump faces a May 12 deadline to decide whether to keep the US commitment on the nuclear deal - renew the agreement's prescribed sanctions relief for Iran - or withdraw from it.

He has repeatedly threatened to ditch the deal if the changes he has demanded are not implemented.

Under the deal signed in Vienna in 2015, Iran scaled back its uranium enrichment programme and promised not to pursue nuclear weapons. In exchange, international sanctions were lifted, allowing it to sell its oil and gas worldwide. However, secondary US sanctions remain.

Since Trump came to office, he has taken several steps to block the deal. In October, he refused to certify that Iran is living up to the accord. He also targeted several Iranian businesses and individuals with new sanctions.

On January 12, Trump announced he was waiving the US sanctions for the "last time". He said if his demands to "fix the deal" were not met within 120 days, the US will withdraw from the deal on or before May 12.