Zarif Calls on West to Restore Iranian Nation’s Trust

“I think the West, particularly the US, needs to do a lot to at least partially restore confidence, the confidence of the Iranian people,” Mohammad Javad Zarif said in an interview with NBC News on Sunday.

His comments came after Iran and Group 5+1 (the six major world powers also known as P5+1) reached a six-month deal over Tehran’s nuclear program after more than four days of intensive talks in the Swiss city of Geneva, early on Sunday.

The Iranian minister also made it clear that if any new sanctions are imposed against Iran by the West, the nuclear accord will “end” in failure.

“If there are new sanctions, then there is no deal. It’s very clear. End of the deal. Because of the inability of one party to maintain their side of the bargain,” Zarif stressed.

This comes as the US lawmakers from both parties said Sunday they are skeptical that Iran will stick to the new nuclear deal and want Congress to prepare fresh economic penalties to hit Tehran if the accord falls apart.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has urged Congress to hold off on any new sanctions and give the accord a chance to prove its worth.

Zarif further expressed the hope that all sides would work to a final resolution of the standoff over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, and said, “It was important for everybody to use the opportunity, we all knew that this was a small window that had to used, otherwise it would be shut.”

“I believe it was a victory for everybody, that they are moving from confrontation to the recognition of the realities on the ground," he added.

Zarif also asserted that the nuclear agreement allows Iran to continue with uranium enrichment activities, and added, “It says that Iran has an enrichment program and a right to (access) nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. For me the right to nuclear (technology) for peaceful purposes incorporates the right to enrichment.”