Iran calls for meeting to consider US sanctions

Tehran: Iran has called for a joint meeting with the six world powers to discuss the recent US extension of Iran Sanctions Act.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday called for the meeting with the US, Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany to discuss the sanctions, which Tehran said were a violation of the nuclear agreement, Xinhua news agency reported.

Iran and the six world powers reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue on July 14 last year which puts Tehran on the path of sanctions relief but more strict limits on its nuclear programme.

Iran has remained committed to all of its obligations under the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Zarif said in an official letter to the European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

"Maintaining the JCPOA integrity and coherence as well as its sustainability requires that all parties pay attention to (their commitments to) implement its provisions," Zarif said.

However, the foreign minister said the US kept reneging on its obligations under the nuclear agreement.

Zarif asked Mogherini to make necessary preparations for the JCPOA joint commission meeting to consider the extension of ISA.

The earlier vote by the US House of Representatives to extend the ISA was endorsed by the Senate last week.

The White House said the bill renewing the ISA was becoming law without President Barack Obama's signature.

An extension of the bill "is entirely consistent with" the US commitments in the Iran nuclear deal, it said.

The ISA was first adopted in 1996 to sanction Iran over its controversial nuclear programme.