Iran deal should remain as basis for further contacts on Tehran’s nuclear program – Kremlin

The deal with Iran should remain inviolable as the basis for further contacts on the Iranian nuclear program, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday. He was commenting on a statement by German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the Iran nuclear deal was only the first step and more had to be achieved, TASS reported. “We know the position of European colleagues to the effect that the deal must be preserved,” Peskov said. “Whether this is a sufficient or an insufficient step is another question but this is the sole substantive consensus,” he said, adding that it was achieved by all the parties concerned as the result of tense work. Any continuation and improvement of the situation with regard to further settlement can be carried out “only on the basis of something substantive and this is exactly the JCPOA,” Peskov said, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.