Japanese Communist Party Chair Kazuo Shii issued a statement condemning US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement. The full text of his statement is as follows:

 US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal is unreasonable and arrogantly defies diplomatic resolution

Kazuo Shii
Chair, Japanese Communist Party
Member of the House of Representatives of Japan Tokyo May 9, 2018

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US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that the United States will withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement signed by Iran and six nations – Britain, China, France, Russia, the US, and Germany – and that his administration will impose maximum sanctions on Iran. This decision goes against the diplomatic resolution of Iran’s nuclear issue and threatens peace and stability in Middle East.

The nuclear deal affirms that Iran has no intention to develop or possess nuclear weapons, limits Iran’s nuclear development to peaceful purposes, and based on that, states that economic sanctions against Iran will be lifted.

This nuclear accord was unanimously approved by UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The IAEA, the international nuclear watchdog, has verified Iran’s compliance with the accord and the US administrations have also confirmed it. Thus, it is completely unreasonable for the Trump administration to announce its withdrawal from the agreement.

The Japanese Communist Party strongly hopes that the international community, including Iran and the six signatory parties, will maintain the nuclear deal and make continued efforts to resolve the issue in a diplomatic manner.

Many nations are voicing concern and criticism over President Trump’s decision. The JCP demands that all parties concerned restrain themselves from unilaterally breaking the international agreement.