PHOTO: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif with Jordan’s King Abdullah (File)

LATEST

In another sign of diplomatic pressure from Islamic countries on Iran, Jordan recalled its ambassador from Tehran on Monday.

The Jordanian Government’s spokesman, Mohammad Momani, said that the ambassador was withdrawn for consultations because of “meddling by Iran in Arab countries’ affairs”. He claimed that Iran has “not responded” to calls by Amman and others to respect the sovereignty of Arab states.

Last Friday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation adopted a communiqué which “deplored Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of the States of the region…and its continued support for terrorism”. The OIC, which includes more than 50 countries, also criticized Tehran’s ally Hezbollah for “terrorism” and destabilizing member states.

Tension between Iran and other states has escalated since a crowd in Tehran, responding to Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shia cleric, ransacked and burned the Saudi Embassy in January. Following the Saudi lead, Djibouti, Bahrain, and Sudan cut diplomatic relations; Kuwait and Qatar recalled their ambassadors, and the UAE announced a downgrade in diplomatic relations.

Rouhani Defends Nuclear Agreement Again

President Rouhani has responded again to criticism of the July 2015 nuclear agreement with the 5+1 Powers, telling a crowd in northern Iran that it was a “political and legal honor for the Iranian nation.”

“Some individuals are questioning the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], saying what it has done for us. This is while the JCPOA has put on record a political and legal honor in the history of the Iranian nation,” Rouhani said.

The President has faced growing pressure, including from the Supreme Leader, over the agreement. Ayatollah Khamenei has said that the US is not fulfilling the terms, maintaining and even extending sanctions on Iran, while hardliners have accused the Government of weakness.

On National Army Day on Sunday, Rouhani praised Iranian negotiators for diplomatic success that complemented military strength. But at the same time, some MPs were challenging the Government’s presentation of the deal in Parliament.

Hardline MP Hamid Rasaei said the report was “not in accordance with the directives of the Supreme Leader” and should be returned to the Foreign Ministry.

Rouhani replied on Tuesday, “The great Iranian nation made a historical decision. It decided to defeat the Islamophobia and Iranophobia spread by the world powers and international Zionism.”

He claimed that, despite the Supreme Leader’s warning of continued US restrictions on areas such as banking and finance, that sanctions were being removed:

We have almost reached the summit.

Who would have thought that six [UN] Security Council resolutions and 12 resolutions [by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s] Board of Governors would be terminated one after another?

Foreign Secretary Mohammad Javad Zarif will press US Secretary of State John Kerry over the US sanctions on Tuesday in New York, before Kerry joins President Obama in Saudi Arabia as a summit with Gulf leaders.

Zarif said Monday that he will urge Washington to “seriously” live up to its side of the deal.

US officials repeated last week that Iran will not gain access to American financial markets. Washington has also imposed additional sanctions on companies and individuals over Iran’s ballistic missile testing.

Zarif said, “It is time to rebuild trust with the institutions which suffered losses from their links with Iran in the past. They have to be given assurances that they will not suffer from such links in the future.”

Kerry told the American Jewish group J Street on Monday night that Iran has received just $3 billion so far in unfrozen assets.

The Secretary of State said activists and commentators who spoke of Iran getting up to $155 billion were wrong, putting the figure of Iranian assets at $55 billion and saying that some of these are tied up in debts.

He continued, “Guess what, folks. You know how much they have received to date as I stand here tonight? About $3 billion. So what we said to people was true.”