Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday said that Iran was not interested in talks with Washington, but any mediation should focus on bringing the United States back to the 2015 nuclear deal which it left last year. Watch this video to know more.

Iran wants US to rejoin 2015 nuclear deal

Iran's foreign minister said on Thursday US&nbspdemands to change its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers were unacceptable as a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Europeans to "fix" the deal loomed.

Trump has warned that unless European allies rectify the "terrible flaws" in the international accord by May 12, he will refuse to extend US&nbspsanctions relief for the oil-producing Islamic Republic.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-all-but-decided-to-withdraw-from-iran-nuclear-deal-sources-134344">Trump has all but decided to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal, say sources</a>

"Iran will not renegotiate what was agreed years ago and has been implemented," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a video message posted on YouTube.

Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord as is, but now, in efforts to keep Washington in it, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when key provisions of the deal expire - and its role in Middle East crises such as Syria and Yemen.

A senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also warned Europeans on Thursday over "revising" the nuclear deal, under which Iran strictly limited its enrichment of uranium to help allay fears this could be put to producing atomic bomb material, and won major sanctions relief in return.

"Even if US&nbspallies, especially the Europeans, try to revise the deal..., one of our options will be withdrawing from it," state television quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying.

The European signatories to the deal have been trying to persuade Trump to save the pact, reached under his predecessor Barack Obama. They argue it is crucial to forestalling a destabilising Middle East arms race and that Iran has been abiding by its terms, a position also taken by US&nbspintelligence assessments and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency.

Zarif said: "Let me make it absolutely clear and once and for all: we will neither outsource our security nor will we renegotiate or add onto a deal we have already implemented in good faith."

Referring to Trump's past as a property magnate, Zarif added, "To put it in real estate terms, when you buy a house and move your family in, or demolish it to build a skyscraper, you cannot come back two years later and renegotiate the price."

Defying Western demands, Iran has repeatedly said it has no intention of reducing its imprint in Middle East affairs and its missile capabilities, which it has said are defensive in nature and have nothing to with nuclear activity covered by the deal.

"It now appears that ... some Europeans have been offering more concessions from our pocket," Zarif said. "This appeasement (of Trump) entails a new deal that would include matters we all decided to exclude at the outset of our negotiations."

Zarif, speaking in English in the YouTube video, said the United States had "consistently violated the nuclear deal, particularly by bullying others to prevent businesses from returning to Iran".

Major European banks and businesses continue to shun the Islamic Republic for fear of falling foul of remaining U.S. sanctions, hampering Iran's efforts to rebuild foreign trade and lure much-needed foreign investment to its economy.

'Iran will not renegotiate what was agreed years ago and has been implemented,' Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a video message posted on YouTube

Iran's foreign minister said on Thursday US&nbspdemands to change its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers were unacceptable as a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Europeans to "fix" the deal loomed. Trump has warned that unless European allies rectify the "terrible flaws" in the international accord by May 12, he will refuse to extend US&nbspsanctions relief for the oil-producing Islamic Republic. Also read: Trump has all but decided to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal, say sources "Iran will not renegotiate what was agreed years ago and has been implemented," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a video message posted on YouTube. Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord as is, but now, in efforts to keep Washington in it, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when key provisions of the deal expire - and its role in Middle East crises such as Syria and Yemen. A senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also warned Europeans on Thursday over "revising" the nuclear deal, under which Iran strictly limited its enrichment of uranium to help allay fears this could be put to producing atomic bomb material, and won major sanctions relief in return. "Even if US&nbspallies, especially the Europeans, try to revise the deal..., one of our options will be withdrawing from it," state television quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying. The European signatories to the deal have been trying to persuade Trump to save the pact, reached under his predecessor Barack Obama. They argue it is crucial to forestalling a destabilising Middle East arms race and that Iran has been abiding by its terms, a position also taken by US&nbspintelligence assessments and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency. Zarif said: "Let me make it absolutely clear and once and for all: we will neither outsource our security nor will we renegotiate or add onto a deal we have already implemented in good faith." Referring to Trump's past as a property magnate, Zarif added, "To put it in real estate terms, when you buy a house and move your family in, or demolish it to build a skyscraper, you cannot come back two years later and renegotiate the price." Defying Western demands, Iran has repeatedly said it has no intention of reducing its imprint in Middle East affairs and its missile capabilities, which it has said are defensive in nature and have nothing to with nuclear activity covered by the deal. "It now appears that ... some Europeans have been offering more concessions from our pocket," Zarif said. "This appeasement (of Trump) entails a new deal that would include matters we all decided to exclude at the outset of our negotiations." Zarif, speaking in English in the YouTube video, said the United States had "consistently violated the nuclear deal, particularly by bullying others to prevent businesses from returning to Iran". Major European banks and businesses continue to shun the Islamic Republic for fear of falling foul of remaining U.S. sanctions, hampering Iran's efforts to rebuild foreign trade and lure much-needed foreign investment to its economy.

Iran says will not renegotiate nuclear deal, warns against changes

Iran and Israel traded blame on Sunday for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria but played down prospects of a spillover into war.

A showdown between the arch-foes has loomed since Feb. 10, when Israel said an armed Iranian drone launched from a Syrian base penetrated its territory. Israel downed the drone and, during a reprisal raid, lost an F-16 jet to Syrian ground fire.

On April 9, an air strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members at the Syrian base. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed unspecified retaliation, drawing Israeli counter-threats to broaden attacks on Iranian military assets in Syria.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a U.S. television interview that further Israeli sorties in Syria would have "consequences". But he deemed major escalation as unlikely.

"I do not believe that we are headed towards regional war but I do believe that unfortunately, Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of the U.S. support and trying to find smokescreens to hide behind," Zarif told CBS News.

"The easiest answer would be to stop - to stop these acts of aggression, to stop these incursions."

Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and Russia have been reinforcing Damascus against a 7-year-old Syrian rebellion. The Israelis worry that Iran's garrison will remain, linking with Hezbollah to form a broad Syrian-Lebanese front against them.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman reiterated his government's policy of preventing Iranian entrenchment in Syria.

"No matter the price, we will not allow a noose to form around us," he told Israel Radio in an interview.

DETERRENCE

But asked if that meant war was imminent, he said: "I hope not. I think that our primary role is prevent war, and that requires concrete, real deterrence as well as readiness to act."

Israel Katz, the Israeli intelligence minister, suggested world powers might intervene to curb Iranian activity in Syria.

Israel is "not interested" in escalation, Katz told the Ynet news site. But Israeli power-projection, he said, "can challenge the Iranians, can clarify to the Russians, who seek stability, that it is worth it for them to apply their influence, and the same goes for the United States, for France and all the others".

The Syria face-off comes as the Trump administration mulls reimposing U.S. economic sanctions against Tehran by May 12, a move that could deal a blow to an international 2015 deal under which the Iranians capped their nuclear projects.

Zarif said Iran might respond to any unravelling of the deal by "resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities".

Israel has savaged the deal and encouraged a U.S. review, but Katz appeared to acknowledge the outcome could be costly.

"The United States is changing policy. Israel is determined to prevent this (Iranian nuclear) red-line, a crossing of this red-line," he said. "These are testing times for us. I hope that we won't pay prices."

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hints-it-could-hit-irans-air-force-in-syria-132058"> Israel hints it could hit Iran's 'air force' in Syria</a>

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said however deemed major escalation as unlikely

Iran and Israel traded blame on Sunday for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria but played down prospects of a spillover into war. A showdown between the arch-foes has loomed since Feb. 10, when Israel said an armed Iranian drone launched from a Syrian base penetrated its territory. Israel downed the drone and, during a reprisal raid, lost an F-16 jet to Syrian ground fire. On April 9, an air strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members at the Syrian base. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed unspecified retaliation, drawing Israeli counter-threats to broaden attacks on Iranian military assets in Syria. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a U.S. television interview that further Israeli sorties in Syria would have "consequences". But he deemed major escalation as unlikely. "I do not believe that we are headed towards regional war but I do believe that unfortunately, Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of the U.S. support and trying to find smokescreens to hide behind," Zarif told CBS News. "The easiest answer would be to stop - to stop these acts of aggression, to stop these incursions." Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and Russia have been reinforcing Damascus against a 7-year-old Syrian rebellion. The Israelis worry that Iran's garrison will remain, linking with Hezbollah to form a broad Syrian-Lebanese front against them. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman reiterated his government's policy of preventing Iranian entrenchment in Syria. "No matter the price, we will not allow a noose to form around us," he told Israel Radio in an interview. DETERRENCE But asked if that meant war was imminent, he said: "I hope not. I think that our primary role is prevent war, and that requires concrete, real deterrence as well as readiness to act." Israel Katz, the Israeli intelligence minister, suggested world powers might intervene to curb Iranian activity in Syria. Israel is "not interested" in escalation, Katz told the Ynet news site. But Israeli power-projection, he said, "can challenge the Iranians, can clarify to the Russians, who seek stability, that it is worth it for them to apply their influence, and the same goes for the United States, for France and all the others". The Syria face-off comes as the Trump administration mulls reimposing U.S. economic sanctions against Tehran by May 12, a move that could deal a blow to an international 2015 deal under which the Iranians capped their nuclear projects. Zarif said Iran might respond to any unravelling of the deal by "resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities". Israel has savaged the deal and encouraged a U.S. review, but Katz appeared to acknowledge the outcome could be costly. "The United States is changing policy. Israel is determined to prevent this (Iranian nuclear) red-line, a crossing of this red-line," he said. "These are testing times for us. I hope that we won't pay prices." Also read: Israel hints it could hit Iran's 'air force' in Syria

Further Israeli sorties in Syria will have consequences: Iran