TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that it is “very important” for Iran that the European Union take a “transparent” step toward the 2015 nuclear agreement now that the U.S. has left the multilateral deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Today, we are at a very critical juncture regarding the JCPOA, and Europe’s transparent expression of its position on actions (that it will take) after the U.S. illegal withdrawal is very important for the Iranian nation,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Rob Macaire, the new British ambassador to Tehran.

Rouhani, who received Ambassador Macaire’s credentials, said the “ball is now in Europe’s court”.

Elsewhere, Rouhani said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought tension in the region and is not seeking to cause any problem in the international waterways, however we will never abandon our right to export oil.”

Rouhani says, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought tension in the region and is not seeking to cause any problem in the international waterways, however we will never abandon our right to export oil.”For his part, Macaire said that the British government supports continued implementation of the nuclear deal.

The European countries are making comprehensive efforts to preserve the JCPOA which is unprecedented, the ambassador added.

Britain is one of the signatories to the JCPOA.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Washington’s exit from the nuclear deal on May 8 and ordered restoration of sanctions against Iran.

To save the multilateral agreement, the Joint Commission of the JCPOA met at the foreign ministerial level in Vienna on July 6. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who chaired the meeting, announced that Iran and the remaining parties had agreed to continue negotiations, including on economic measures, over how to keep the deal alive.

‘Illegal sanctions should not harm Tehran-Seoul ties’

In a separate meeting with Ryu Jeong-Hyun, the new South Korean ambassador to Tehran, Rouhani said that the “illegal sanctions” should not cause any harm to Tehran-Seoul ties.

Rouhani also called for expansion of relations with South Korea in various areas, saying Iran can be a reliable source to providing energy to South Korea.

For his part, the South Korean ambassador said that Seoul will spare no efforts in expanding relations with Tehran.

Rouhani calls for expanding ties with Vietnam

In a meeting with new Vietnamese Ambassador to Tehran Nguyen Manh Hien, Rouhani also said that Iran and Vietnam have great capacities to expand relations.

The president said his government attached great importance to expansion of banking relations.

Rouhani also held a separate meeting with Iranian ambassadors to 14 countries, including Poland, Japan, Vatican, Italy, Ireland, Slovenia, Finland, Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Mali, Colombia, Bulgaria, and the Permanent Ambassador and Representative of Iran to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

NA/PA