British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described his visit to Iran as ‘worthwhile’ and said that the two sides agree that the nuclear deal should be preserved.

“It has been a worthwhile visit and we leave with a sense that both sides want to keep up the momentum to resolve the difficult issues in the bilateral relationship and preserve the nuclear deal,” he said at the British Parliament on Monday.

Without any direct reference to the US president’s decision on decertifying Iran’s commitment to the deal, he said that other signatories should remain committed to their obligations by helping Iranians benefit from their engagement with the world.

Iran and the major powers in the world signed a nuclear deal in 2015, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under the agreement, Iran accepted to limit its nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief.

Despite several reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran’s commitment to the deal, Donald Trump has said that his administration would not certify the commitment anymore.

The British Foreign Secretary also said that during his two-day visit to Iran (December 9-10), he and the country’s President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have emphasized “the removal of all obstacles in the Anglo-Iranian relationship’.

Johnson also urged preparation for more scientific, educational and cultural interactions with Iran, saying that such relations will play a positive role.

Source: IRNA