Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) shakes hands with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as they meet in the capital Tehran on March 5, 2018. (AFP photo)
TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian senior officials on Monday called for collective resolve by the European countries to protect the Iranian nuclear deal reached in 2015.
Europe should push the United States to adhere to its obligations under the 2015 nuclear agreement, said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday in a meeting with visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in the capital Tehran.
Besides, Europe should not allow the United States to pose "illogical and illegal" demands concerning Iran's nuclear deal, Zarif said.
The deal is "international diplomatic achievement," and it should be protected, he stressed.
The U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to scuttle the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal unless amendments are made to it.
However, Zarif noted that the nuclear deal, internationally known as JCPOA, is a multilateral agreement and its fate cannot be subjected to the whims of Washington.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is tasked with monitoring Iran's compliance with its obligation, has verified Iran's compliance with the deal in 10 reports.
The Iranian foreign minister also criticized some European countries for "being influenced under U.S. pressures" over Iran's nuclear deal and missile program.
Zarif said that Europe should not be affected by the U.S. "unwise and politically-motivated" approaches, and play a more constructive role in saving the JCPOA.
Le Drian said that Paris is determined to implement the JCPOA and has taken many practical measures in this regard.
"Tehran and Paris have started positive banking cooperation and the French companies' investment in Iran has been increased after the JCPOA took effect," he added.
In the meantime, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani on Monday urged the European countries not to bend under the U.S. "psychological game" pertaining to Iran's nuclear deal.
The Iranian official called for the acceleration of implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal.
Any move to undermine the JCPOA would result in the loss of credibility of other international agreements, Shamkhani also made the remarks in a meeting with Le Drian.
For his part, Le Drian hailed Iran's commitment to the JCPOA and said that France insists on the full implementation of the deal.
He said that both countries have new plans for boosting cooperation in monetary and banking interactions.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday voiced his support for the 2015 nuclear deal which limited Iran's nuclear activities in returns for the lift of western sanctions against Tehran.
Le Drian arrived in Tehran on Monday for talks with Iranian officials on mutual ties as well as regional and international issues.
