Iran's FM slams Pompeo's reported nuke deal attempt

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took a swipe at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after he reportedly attempted to show that the United States is still a participant state in the Iranian 2015 nuclear agreement, also known as the JCPOA.

Tehran, April 28 Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took a swipe at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after he reportedly attempted to show that the United States is still a participant state in the Iranian 2015 nuclear agreement, also known as the JCPOA.

Two years ago, Pompeo and Trump declared "ceasing US participation in the JCPOA, dreaming that their maximum pressure would bring Iran to its knees," Zarif tweeted on Monday.

"Given that policy's abject failure, he now wants to be JCPOA participant. Stop dreaming: Iranian nation always decides its destiny," Zarif said on Monday, reported Xinhua news agency.

US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the JCPOA in 2018 and returned financial and energy sanctions on Iran under the "maximum pressure" campaign to press the latter for a renewed nuclear deal.

On Sunday, western media reports said that "Pompeo is reportedly drafting his team to come up with legal arguments as to how the United States is still a part on nuclear agreement" to use United Nations Security Council leverage to extend JCPOA-endorsed arms embargo on Iran which ends in six months' time.

( With inputs from IANS )