Paris deal exit shows US irresponsibility: Iran

Iran says the United States will become more isolated in the world in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to pull Washington out of the Paris agreement on climate change.

“The withdrawal of the United States of America from the Paris accord indicates the irresponsibility of this country’s government vis-à-vis the international community,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Saturday.

“Climate changes have caused big global challenges and combating the horrific consequences of them requires complete and sincere cooperation of all countries, particularly industrialized governments,” he added.

He emphasized that these changes would have “destructive impacts” on developing countries, especially in West Asia, including excessive rise in temperature, vast economic and social damage, drought, dust storm, newly-emerging diseases, displacement and immigration.

The Iranian spokesperson condemned as “unacceptable” the lack of commitment to the Paris agreement by a country that is the second largest producer of greenhouse gases.

He urged the international community to compel the new US administration to completely and precisely implement Washington’s international commitments.

It is imperative to avoid undermining international agreements such as the Paris accord, which is a symbol of joint cooperation among countries across the world and enhanced multilateralism, he said.

Qassemi added that the Islamic Republic believes that the US cannot shirk its responsibility towards climate changes emanating from greenhouse gas emissions by its “irresponsible” withdrawal from the Paris agreement.

Speaking at a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden on Thursday, Trump said he was withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Agreement.

“In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord,” Trump said.

He called the deal unfair to American workers and said it stifled production and imposed burdens on the country.

Earlier on Saturday, The head of Iran’s Department of Environment (DoE), Massoumeh Ebtekar, said Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate deal would not lead to the collapse of the accord.

She described Trump’s move as completely unscientific and uncalculated.

The Paris climate accord is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020.It was negotiated by representatives of 195 countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in Paris and adopted by consensus on December 12, 2015. Since June 2017, 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement, 148 of which have ratified it.

In the Paris agreement, each country determines its own contribution it should make in order to mitigate global warming. There is no mechanism to force a country to set a specific target by a specific date.