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Russia will not support U.S. bid to change Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during his annual news conference, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova seen in the background, in Moscow, Russia January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow will not support attempts by Washington to modify the Iran nuclear deal, arguing such a move could also complicate diplomacy over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Lavrov spoke days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would waive nuclear sanctions against Iran for the last time to give Washington and its European allies a chance to fix the “terrible flaws” of the 2015 nuclear deal.

“We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran,” Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow.

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In separate comments on Monday, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, said Trump’s threats to withdraw from the nuclear deal were fanning “Iranophobia” and meant to deprive Tehran of the agreement’s economic benefits.

“Scaring the international community with the decisions of a mad man is a repetitive tactic that has proved to be ineffective,” Fars news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

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