TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned on Friday that a violation of the international nuclear agreement will be high, however Iran is ready for any scenario.

The remarks by the senior diplomat come as President Donald Trump has assigned a White House team to find a pretext to exit the U.S. from the nuclear deal, [the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action].

“The JCPOA has strong status at international level and is supported by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the European Union and the international community,” Araqchi said during a speech at Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tokyo, Japan.

He also said that the U.S. action in imposing new sanctions on Iran for its missile program is “unacceptable”.

Iran’s missile program is only intended for “defensive” and “preventive” objectives, he explained.

Iran, the European Union, Germany and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia - finalized the text of the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015. The deal went into effect in January 2016.

Last month, the two houses of the U.S. Congress ratified sanctions against Iran. The sanctions were mainly targeted at Iran’s missile capability. 

The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on six Iran-based satellite companies on July 28 after Iran launched Simorgh (Phoenix) satellite carrier rocket into space a day earlier.

‘Iran one of safest countries in West Asia’

Araqchi also said Iran is one the safest and most stable countries in the volatile Middle East, noting the Iranian people are the source of the country’s power and capability.

He added that terrorism is the biggest challenge to the region which poses threats against the whole world.

And an international coalition is required to counter terrorism, he said.

Araqchi also met with Taro Kono, the Japanese foreign minister, on Thursday. During the meeting, Araqchi, who once served as Iran’s ambassador to Tokyo, said that the two countries should expand economic relations given the post-JCPOA atmosphere.

For his part, Kono said it is Japan’s policy to expand comprehensive relations with Iran.

NA/PA