Russia to call on U.S. to stay in nuclear deal

September 16, 2017 - 19:48

Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said Moscow’s message to the United States during a likely meeting of the parties to the Iran nuclear deal next week on the sidelines to the United Nations General Assembly was to stay in the deal.

“That is not only our message, but the rest of the participants and those that are outside are trying to send this message across,” Reuters quoted Nebenzia as telling reporters on Friday.

Iran, the European Union, Germany and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council including Russia signed the nuclear deal in July 2015. It went into effect in January 2016.

On September 5, U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley laid out a case for President Donald Trump to step back from the nuclear deal, arguing that Iran’s technical compliance alone isn’t enough for the U.S. to stick with the pact.

Trump levelled sharp criticism at the agreement many a time during his election race calling it “the worst deal ever”.

Trump is expected to recertify Iran’s compliance to the deal before October 15 as required by the U.S. law.

"You'll see what I'm going to be doing very shortly in October," Trump told reporters on Thursday. "The Iran deal is one of the worst deals I've ever seen. The Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. It's a deal that should not have ever been made."
 
NA/PA