Iranian president slams US vote extending sanctions on Tehran

"We believe that the recent vote by the US Congress is in contradiction with the JCPOA and it breaches the deal,” IRNA news agency quoted President Rouhani as saying this morning, according to AzerNews.

He urged President Barack Obama to turn down the recent vote extending the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for 10 more years.

President Rouhani added that all reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) prove that Iran has fulfilled its commitments regarding the last year’s landmark nuclear deal reached between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries.

The JCPOA is an international document endorsed by the Security Council of the United Nations and Iran believes that the proper implementation of the nuclear deal would be a considerable achievement for the international community and the participants of the deal.

He further touched upon Iran’s role in protecting security and stability in the region saying that collaboration with Iran will contribute to re-establishing security in the region.

The US lawmakers have recently reauthorized the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), which was first introduced in 1996 to punish investments in Iran's energy industry based on accusations that Tehran was pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

While Barack Obama is expected to approve the legislation on the renewal of sanctions against Iran for the next 10 years, Iranian leaders have sharply criticized the motion describing it as a breach of the last year’s landmark nuclear deal.