Iran FM Sets Out on Diplomatic Tour to Save Nuclear Deal

Rouhani govt aims to salvage deal, as conservatives push against it

Keeping the P5+1 nuclear deal intact after the withdrawal of the United States is a major task, but one Iranian officials appear determined to tackle. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif is heading out this week on a global tour of major countries, trying to secure diplomatic cooperation from other nations.

Javad Zarif

Zarif will be visiting China first, then Russia. This will be followed up with visits to Germany, Britain, and France, all the remaining parties of the deal. All these nations have expressed interest in keeping the deal intact even without the US.

Saving the deal is going to rest heavily on ensuring these nations can combine efforts to block US sanctions from preventing global companies doing business in Iran. President Hassan Rouhani has said Iran’s intention is to stay in the deal so long as their interests are protected.

Iran’s conservative opposition is aligning increasingly against the deal. They long opposed the pact on the grounds the US couldn’t be trusted. With the US having withdrawn, they are now demanding Rouhani “apologize” for trying the deal at all.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.