Iranian Foreign Minister Calls for Ending Era of ‘Contempt’ for Law in New Year Message

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Thursday called for ending an "era of contempt" for law and multilateralism in his new year address on Twitter.

"As we end a year of anguish, let us hope for new beginnings in the coming year, ending the insane era of contempt for law and multilateralism—a four-year one that caused so much bloodshed, terror & cruelty," Zarif tweeted and wished readers a peaceful and healthy new year.

As we end a year of anguish, let us hope for new beginnings in the coming year, ending the insane era of contempt for law and multilateralism—a four-year one that caused so much bloodshed, terror & cruelty.

Let's join together to make 2021 a peaceful, healthy & Happy New Year. pic.twitter.com/jIAozeyHlV

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) December 31, 2020

Relations between the countries worsened after Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the United States from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, targeting the Islamic republic with harsh sanctions. 

The JCPOA was struck in 2015 by Iran, Russia, France, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

Under the deal, Tehran had to scale back its nuclear program and significantly downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting the arms embargo five years after the deal's adoption.