Russia slams US decision to withdraw from Iran deal

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Moscow is "deeply disappointed" by U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, said a Russian Foreign Ministry statement on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. Tuesday from its participation in the landmark nuclear agreement world powers struck with Iran in 2015.

"We are extremely concerned that the United States is once again acting contrary to the opinion of the majority of states and exclusively in its own narrow-minded and opportunistic interests, in flagrant violation of international law," said the Foreign Ministry statement.

"Washington's actions are a serious violation of the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], they bring international discredit to the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency], which was proving its high professionalism throughout the realization of the JCPOA," the statement said.

Russia will not abandon the JCPOA and is open to talks with other participants of the Iran nuclear deal, it added.

Trump opted not to extend sanctions relief on Iran ahead of a May 12 deadline, vowing instead to re-impose the U.S.'s nuclear-related economic penalties.

The 2015 nuclear agreement placed unprecedented restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions, but Trump has consistently railed against it since he began his bid for America's highest office, repeatedly claiming it is the "worst deal" he has ever seen.

All of the U.S.'s negotiating partners -- the U.K., France, Germany, Russia, China and the EU -- had agreed that maintaining the JCPOA was the best way to reign in Iran's program.