Iran to continue N-talks, respond to improper acts: Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Islamic Republic will continue negotiations with six major world powers but will respond prudently to any unconstructive and inappropriate action on the part of the sextet.

“Over the past days, certain improper measures were taken by the Americans, to which we responded in the required manner and with the consideration of all aspects of the issue,” Zarif wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday.

“We will seriously pursue the Geneva talks, and we will of course give a proper, calculated, purposeful and smart response to any improper and unconstructive action (even if it does not violate the Geneva deal),” he added.

On Thursday, the US Departments of Treasury announced new sanctions against a number of companies and individuals for “providing support for” Iran’s nuclear energy program.

The new US sanctions came despite the nuclear deal inked between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, China, France, Britain and the US – plus Germany in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24.

The interim deal sought to set the stage for the full resolution of the West’s decade-old dispute with Iran over the country’s nuclear energy program.

Zarif pointed to the roadmap to achieve a final nuclear agreement with the six world powers and said, “Negotiations and achieving results are difficult and will certainly involve many ups and downs. We had foreseen this from the outset, too.”

Under the Geneva deal, it was agreed that no more nuclear-related sanctions would be imposed on Iran for a six-month period.