US Attempts to Dissuade Iran's Partners From Cooperation Violate JCPOA - Tehran

"Well, note President Trump has made it very clear that it is trying to dissuade our economic partners from engaging with Iran and that's a clear violation of the deal," Zarif told the CBS broadcaster in an interview.

According to Zarif, if the European signatories of the agreement want it to work, they will have to persuade Washington to follow the document.

The minister went on saying that the Iranian and US representatives are holding consultations to discuss the the Iran nuclear deal.

READ MORE: US to Be 'Startled' With Iran Response Readiness if It Withdraws From JCPOA

The relations between Tehran and Washington have worsened since US President Donald Trump came to power, particularly due to the US president’s criticism of the JCPOA. The multilateral agreement envisages gradual lifting of the western anti-Iran sanctions in exchange for Tehran abandoning its nuclear weapons program.

On January 30, Trump asked the Congress to address the flaws in the "terrible Iran nuclear deal," after in late October, the US president refused to re-certify the nuclear deal, accusing Tehran of violating the spirit of the agreement. Despite the fact that Trump decided not to contest Tehran's compliance with the deal at the international level, he did not exclude a possible withdrawal from the deal if the agreement was not improved. Other JCPOA signatories called on the United States to comply with the agreement's provisions, saying that the deal had yielded results and was non-negotiable.

The United States is expected to announce its decision on the agreement before May 12 deadline.

On July 14, 2015, China, Germany, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States (collectively referred to as the P5+1 group) signed the JCPOA with Iran. The accord stipulated a gradual lifting of anti-Iran sanctions in exchange for Tehran's assurances that its nuclear program would remain peaceful.

US Policy in Syria 'Shortsighted'

"The U.S. policy in Syria particularly over the last few months has been shortsighted, further exacerbates ethnic tensions in Syria, has led to regional reactions that are dangerous. And I believe the sooner they bring them to an end, the better it is for the region and for the United States," Zarif pointed out.

The minister also stressed that Iran called for an international investigation into the alleged chemical attack in Syria's Douma.

"We have said that there has to be an international, onsite investigation. Who used the chemical weapons? How they were used. Whether they were used. And then there should be an international reaction," Zarif said.

The situation with Syria seriously escalated over the past several weeks after a number of media outlets and Western countries accused Damascus of using chemical weapons in Douma. The Syrian government and Russia have refuted the allegations, saying that the attack in Douma was staged by militants and the White Helmets to influence public opinion and justify possible intervention.

READ MORE: Terrorists' Chemical Weapon Plant Discovered in Syria's Douma (PHOTO)

On April 14, the United States, France and the United Kingdom carried out a missile attack on a number of targets in Syria, including the facilities in Barzeh and Jamraya, in response to the alleged attack in Douma. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a total of 103 cruise missiles were launched by the United States and its allies, 71 of which were intercepted by Syria’s air defense systems.

The Fact-Finding mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Saturday visited one of the sites in Douma to collect samples in connection with the alleged attack.