Zarif, Mogherini discuss JCPOA, Iraq reconstruction in Kuwait

During the Tuesday meeting, the two sides conferred on the reconstruction of Iraq as well as the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal.

The Iran nuclear deal, also known as JCPOA, has come under threat by the current US administration, with Donald Trump calling it “the worst deal ever”, and making every attempt to undermine its full implementation.

Iran has stressed that it will not be the first party to withdraw from the deal, but has called on the other sides to the pact, as well as the EU, to adopt a unified approach in preserving the agreement in the face of Washington’s hostile measures.

The meeting between Zarif and Mogherini was held behind closed doors on the sidelines of the Kuwait International Conference on the Reconstruction of Iraq.

The Iranian foreign minister also held talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah on Tuesday, during which the two sides discussed ways to develop bilateral relations, and exchanged views on the most important international issues, particularly those related to the West Asia region.

During the meeting, Zarif expressed hope that neighboring countries and the international community would be able to reconstruct the damages done to Iraq by the terrorists as soon as possible.

The Kuwaiti foreign minister, for his part, thanked Iran for its participation in the conference, stressing that disputes and differences among regional countries must be settled through dialogue and diplomatic means.

The three-day conference is currently underway in Kuwait with participation of some 50 donor countries including Iran and around 2,000 organizations, aimed at collecting financial contributions for the reconstruction process in the war-torn Iraq.

Zarif is scheduled to deliver a speech at the conference today.

Upon arrival in Kuwait, Zarif told reporters that the Islamic Republic of Iran attaches great significance to the stability and progress in Iraq, and will always stand next to the Iraqi people in support and solidarity.