Zarif Says Nuclear Deal ‘Dead’ in Case of More US Sanctions

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that the nuclear deal sealed between Tehran and the world powers will be dead if the US imposes new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian FM

“The entire deal is dead. We do not like to negotiate under duress. And if Congress adopts sanctions, it shows lack of seriousness and lack of a desire to achieve a resolution on the part of the United States,” Zarif said in an exclusive interview with Time magazine in Tehran on Saturday, which was published on Monday.

“I know the domestic complications and various issues inside the United States, but for me that is no justification. I have a parliament. My parliament can also adopt various legislation that can go into effect if negotiations fail. But if we start doing that, I don’t think that we will be getting anywhere,” he added.

Some hawkish members of the US Congress have been discussing the idea of imposing new sanctions on Iran over the country’s nuclear energy program.
US President Barack Obama is dispatching two of his top diplomats to Capitol Hill this week to prevent new sanctions from being passed on Iran.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Under Secretary Wendy Sherman are going to persuade hawks in Congress that further sanctions on Iran would only derail the current nuclear negotiations.