The U.S. decried on Tuesday Iran's threat to quit the global nuclear treaty if European countries refer the Islamic Republic to the U.N. Security Council after declaring it in violation of a 2015 pact would send a “very, very negative message”.
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Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Monday, as reported by state-owned IRNA, that his country will not be bullied into remaining in the nuclear treaty, especially by European countries exhibiting "improper behavior."
“If the Europeans continue their improper behavior or send Iran’s file to the Security Council, we will withdraw from the NPT," Zarif said.
This threat apparently alarmed the U.S. administration, as their disarmament ambassador complained about Iran's behavior and unwillingness to negotiate with Washington.
Robert Wood, U.S. disarmament ambassador, noting talks set for April on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), told reporters in Geneva: “Here we are on the eve of a review conference that Iran is threatening to walk away from.
“We think that Iran needs to end its malign behavior and sit down with the United States and negotiate an agreement that deals not only with the nuclear issue but also with the other issues that concern us like the ballistic missile proliferation and development and the malign activities around the world,” he said.
Iran has become increasingly hostile towards the U.S. after the latter assassinated the Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on January 3rd.
This assassination of Soleimani resulted in fierce response by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, as they fired 22 missiles at the U.S. forces in Iraq.