Zarif: Iran Sees No Hurdle in Establishing ‘Healthy’ Economic Ties with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that Tehran sees no obstacle in the way to establish normal and healthy economic relations with Washington.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival to the US city of New York on Monday, Zarif emphasized that as far as Iran is concerned, there is no obstacle in the way to establish “healthy economic relations” with the US.

However, he dismissed the notion that Iran has sought to resume trade ties with the US through the July 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers, saying that the Islamic Republic has not been after establishment of trade relations with the US up to now.

He said Iran agreed to the nuclear deal, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), to prevent the US interference in Tehran’s economic ties with other countries.

The Iranian top diplomat further stressed the necessity for the US to fully implement the JCPOA, saying that he will discuss the issue in his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry later on Tuesday.

Zarif left Tehran for New York on Monday to attend the upcoming United Nations (UN) climate summit.

While the JCPOA, a 159-page nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) came into force in January, some Iranian officials complain about the US failure to fully implement the accord.

Last month, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said Americans have yet to fulfill what they were supposed to do as per the nuclear deal.

Iran still has problems in its banking transactions or in restoring its frozen assets, because Western countries and those involved in such processes are afraid of Americans, Imam Khamenei said, criticizing the US for its moves to prevent Iran from taking advantage of the sanctions removal.