Rouhani uses UN address to hit US over nuclear deal

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani used an address at the United Nations Thursday to accuse the United States of failing to fully implement the nuclear deal and demand that Washington comply immediately.

“The lack of compliance with the JCPOA on the part of the United States in the past several months represents a flawed approach that should be rectified forthwith,” said Rouhani referring to the accord.

The agreement between Tehran, Washington and five other major powers came into force in January. Iran accepted curbs to its nuclear program in exchange for a lifting of sanctions by world powers.

But Tehran accuses Washington of continuing to block the Islamic Republic from the international banking system, limiting its ability to benefit from the end of sanctions.

Any US failure in implementing the agreement would “constitute an international wrongful act” and “be objected to by the international community,” Rouhani told the UN General Assembly.

It would also “further erode the credibility of the United States in the world,” the Iranian leader warned.

“Zionist pressure groups could go as far as having US Congress pass indefensible legislation forcing the highest American judicial institution to violate preemptory norms of international law,” he said.

The nuclear agreement has faced opposition from ultra-conservatives in Iran and the United States, led by Republican opponents of the Barack Obama administration ahead of this November’s presidential election.