Chinese Fmr diplomat urges Iran to be wary of US trap of talks

Beijing, Aug 18, IRNA – The US is not honest when it suggests negotiation, a veteran Chinese diplomat said, cautioning Iran about Washington's trap. Speaking to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Zhu Zuscoh said, 'The US is not honest, and this has already become evident when Washington withdrew from international agreements, including the Iran Deal, or the unilateral trade war it waged with China. Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the US, France, Britain, China, and Russia) plus Germany signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015. Iran accepted to curb its nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. The US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal on May 8, 2018, calling it the worst deal ever. Washington re-imposed unilateral economic sanctions against Iran after Trump's decision to pull out from the international nuclear deal. Tehran should avoid being deceived by the US President Donald Trump, as he is more concerned with propaganda than talking with Iran, the former Chinese ambassador to the Netherlands and Hungary warned. He added, 'The US officials' claims are not in consistence with their actions, therefore it is not reasonable to rely on their remarks.' Washington lost many friends when it pulled out of the nuclear deal, said the veteran diplomat adding, even its European allies did not follow the US and it was a big blow to the White House. It was only the US that withdrew from the JCPOA; a deal that was a guarantee for the world and the Middle East peace and security, Zhu said. 'This is an indication that Washington's approach to the main international issues is unilateralism.' Describing the support given by China, Russia, and Europe to the deal as an important opportunity for Iran, he said that Tehran can succeed in keeping the deal alive even without the US. The Chinese former diplomat also denounced US sanctions against Iran's oil, saying that Washington cannot reduce Iran's crude export to zero. 'If the US officials are trying to made other countries, including China, to supply their energy from the American resources, they are very mistaken, since Washington cannot decide for others on their oil suppliers,' he argued. The US has urged allies to halt their oil imports from Iran by November 4. The decision has prompted some major customers of Iran crude, such as South Korean and India, to explore ways to skirt US-imposed sanctions against the country. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish