Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Oslo, the capital of Norway, for a visit.
According to Iranian news agencies, Mr. Zarif has said that he intends to meet and discuss with US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the Oslo Forum on the country's commitments to "follow up on US commitments" in the process of implementing the Iran nuclear deal with Western governments (JCPOA).
Some officials in the Islamic Republic, especially opponents of the nuclear agreement, have criticized the JCPOA in recent months and on various occasions, saying that several months after the implementation of this program, no fundamental change has occurred in Iran's economic and financial conditions and relations.
Although Iranian government officials have defended the JCPOA, they have also said that the US is “sabotaging” its actions. In this regard, some time ago, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its first report on the implementation of the JCPOA agreement to the Ninth Parliament, wrote that “the American side’s excuse-making, sabotage, and procrastination, especially by the US Treasury Department,” have created a fundamental problem in the implementation of the JCPOA.
The Iranian Foreign Minister also said yesterday (Sunday, June 12/23 Khordos) in the ministry's report on the JCPOA to the new Iranian parliament (10th) that Iran's nuclear agreement with Western governments, known as the JCPOA, "does not mean the end of their (Western countries') hostility and enmity against Iran."
He added: "This agreement "does not mean that they have abandoned obstructionism or that they have today left the door of companionship and cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran and want to talk to us along this path."
But Mr. Zarif at the same time defended the signing of the JCPOA and emphasized that by signing the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Agreement, Iran was able to remove "the obstacles that were imposed on the people in the name of the nuclear program."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry is required to submit a report to the country's parliament every three months on the implementation of the JCPOA.
According to reports, Mr. Zarif is also scheduled to meet with his Norwegian counterpart, as well as Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign policy chief.
The Iranian Foreign Minister is expected to continue his European trip to Germany.
Abbas Araghchi, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, deputy foreign ministers and senior Iranian nuclear negotiators, as well as Hossein Jaberi Ansari, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are accompanying Mr. Zarif on this trip.
The Oslo Forum holds regular meetings on peace studies, initiatives, and dialogue.
