MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the Iranian parliament approved almost all Cabinet candidates proposed by Rouhani, except the nominee for the position of the energy minister. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh retained their posts.
Addressing the parliament, Rouhani called on Zarif to make all necessary diplomatic efforts to protect the JCPOA from the attempts of Israel, the United States and several Middle Eastern countries to undermine the agreement, the Tasnim News Agency reported.
On July 14, 2015, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany (collectively referred to as the P5+1 group) signed the JCPOA with Iran on the latter's nuclear program. The accord stipulated a gradual lifting of anti-Iran sanctions in exchange for Tehran's assurances that its nuclear program would remain in a peaceful nature.
On July 29, the US Senate approved a bill on new non-nuclear sanctions against 18 individuals and entities in Iran over the country's missile program and human rights violations. The move has been widely criticized by Iranian senior officials, claiming that the US bill violated the provisions of the JCPOA. Tehran vowed to impose retaliatory measures against US individuals and entities.