Iran has welcomed Friday's historic pledge by the leaders of the two Koreas to work to denuclearize the Korean peninsula but said foreign powers should not be allowed to throw the rapprochement process off track with their intervention. At the first summit between the Koreas in more than a decade, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged to work for the "complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," Reuters reported.
The two sides—who met at the heavily fortified demilitarized zone that has divided the two countries for more than six decades—said they would work with the United States and China to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean War and seek an agreement to establish a permanent peace agreement.
Right Step
In a statement carried by IRNA on Saturday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said, "Iran views the recent meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea as a responsible step in the right direction that could contribute to lasting regional and global peace and security."
Iran has long advocated efforts toward denuclearization as it is opposed to the production, possession and use of weapons of mass destruction, he said, cautioning that the arrangements between the Koreas should be worked out without foreign meddling. "The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the new historic chapter in the easing of tensions on the Korean peninsula should be continued vigilantly, bilaterally and without the interference of extra-regional countries," Qasemi added.
Unreliable Partner
"Iran's experience over 40 years, particularly in regard to the JCPOA, shows that the US government is not a trustworthy player and does not respect its commitments," he said, using the abbreviation for the Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Tehran signed a deal in 2015 with the US and five other world powers, curbing its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. But Iran argues that Washington has continued to block its trade with the outside world in breach of the deal, and US President Donald Trump has threatened to abandon the agreement entirely when it comes up for renewal on May 12 if its "disastrous flaws" are not fixed. "As a result, [the US] is not qualified to play a role in determining the arrangements between countries, which has been reinforced in recent years by the Trump administration," the Foreign Ministry official said. In the coming weeks, Kim is due to hold an unprecedented meeting with the US president, who has said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions for now.
