US 'Trampled Upon' Iran Nuclear Deal, Can't Tolerate Independent States, Raisi Tells UNGA

Back in 2018, the Donald Trump administration decided to unilaterally pull the US out of the Iran nuclear accord, which the ex-POTUS had described as a "horrible" accord. The then-US administration also reinstated harsh sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The United States "trampled upon" the Iran nuclear deal, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said during his Wednesday address to the United Nations General Assembly. The Iranian president stressed that the Islamic Republic is not striving to obtain nuclear weapons.

"The American government [has] trampled upon the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action a.k.a. Iran nuclear deal]. Some time ago, the former US president announced that [Daesh*] was created by the US. To us, it makes no difference who created [it]. What matters is that a government outside this region decided to bring havoc to the region," Raisi said.

He further condemned Washington's meddling in the region's affairs and refusal to take the interests of other countries into account. Raisi noted that the US can't tolerate countries that act independently and puts its own priorities over those of other states.

Raisi also declared that the existing world order, where international organizations had become "instruments of repression" and economic sanctions are used as leverage to pressure other countries, no longer enjoys widespread support. He stated that a new world order is starting to take shape in its place and stressed the necessity to create a more "fair" world.

The Iranian president said that late IRGC General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in the US strike in January 2020, "fought against oppression" of the current world order. Raisi condemned his killing by the US as a crime and said that Iran will insist on holding a fair trial for those responsible.

"The government on the other side of the planet decides to create chaos in our region through the bloodshed of women and children. But the Islamic Republic opposed this destructive dynamic, and Qassem Soleimani became the leader who opposed terrorism," Raisi said.

Raisi's speech to the UNGA came amid a pause in negotiations on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which effectively collapsed following the unilateral US withdrawal from it in 2018. The sides have since exchanged a new draft agreements, but there has been no suggestion of an imminent signing. Western parties to the accord accused Iran, which demands guaranties the deal won't collapse again, of unreasonable demands, while Tehran slammed the unconstructive approach of certain countries.

*Daesh (also known as IS, ISIS) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia