Iran's top priority to protect nuclear deal from US: Rouhani

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Aug. 20 that  the top foreign policy priority for his new government was to protect the nuclear deal from being torn up by the United States.

"The most important job of our foreign minister is first to stand behind the JCPOA, and not to allow the U.S. and other enemies to succeed," Rouhani told parliament, using the technical name for the 2015 deal that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs to Iran's nuclear program.

"Standing up for the JCPOA means standing up to Iran's enemies," he said on the last day of debates over his cabinet selections.

Rouhani indicated a week ago that Iran was ready to walk out on the nuclear deal if the United States continued to apply fresh sanctions.

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to tear up the deal during his campaign, and it has come under mounting pressure after Tehran carried out missile tests and Washington imposed new sanctions - with each accusing the other of violating the spirit of the agreement.

But Rouhani has insisted it remains Iran's preferred way forward, not least to help rebuild the struggling economy and create jobs.

"The second responsibility of the foreign ministry... is to get involved in economic activities. It should help attract foreign investment and technology," Rouhani said, adding that Iran needed $200 billion in investments for the oil and gas sector alone.

Parliament approved 16 of his 17 cabinet picks, rejecting his suggested minister of energy, a reformist named Habibollah Bitaraf.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was the charismatic face of Iran's nuclear negotiations, retained his position.  

So did Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, who recently struck a...