BAGHDAD, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Fuad Masoum Wednesday expressed regret for the withdrawal of the United States from Iran nuclear deal, a landmark international agreement signed in 2015.
In a statement issued by his office, Masoum said that he "regrets the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to withdraw from the agreement over the Iranian nuclear program."
Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is an international agreement reached in Vienna on July 14, 2015 between Iran, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States -- plus Germany), and the European Union.
In his statement Masoum appreciated the stances of the other parties to their fully adherence to the deal, and urged the United States not to prejudice the agreement and avoid obstructing its full implementation by the other parties that signed it.
Masoum also called on the United States to "reconsider its decision," saying that the agreement represented a "great achievement to enhance the chances of peace and progress for all countries in the region and the international community."
Trump was a frequent critic of the agreement, which he famously described as "the worst deal ever."
On Tuesday, Trump said that he withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, which agreed to lift crippling economic sanctions on Iran in return for its agreement to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow international inspectors access to its facilities.
