Iran’s Zarif Urges Biden To Rethink US Policy Of ‘Economic Terrorism’

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed hope that Washington changes its current policy of unilateral sanctions and “economic terrorism” against the Islamic Republic, media is reporting.

In an interview with Russia Today, the Iranian top diplomat referred to Washington’s current policy of unilateral sanctions which is “basically economic warfare” and “economic terrorism” against the Iranian nation, adding that he hoped the new administration could begin to move bilateral relations with Tehran in the “right direction.”

Zarif also insisted that Iran was not particularly interested in who sits in the White House, so long as the US honors its agreements under the 2015 nuclear deal.

According to the IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency, the new Joe Biden administration has signaled that it wants Tehran to return to full compliance with the accord before dropping the Trump-era sanctions, but Iran has repeatedly pointed out that Washington violated the agreement first, nullifying Iran’s own obligations.

Iran has called on Biden to drop the unilateral sanctions and return to the 2015 deal, arguing that only then would it fully comply with the accord.

In a tweet on Thursday, Zarif pointed to Trump’s “failed” policy of ‘maximum pressure’ against Iran, urging Biden’s secretary of state, Antony Blinken, to “take [the] 1st step” towards mending bilateral relations.