Iranian Foreign Minister condemns European criticism of his country's withdrawal from nuclear agreement • Following Trump's speech - Zarif announces that he will not attend Davos Economic Forum

• Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Jawad Zarif // Photo: Reuters

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Jawad Zarif continues to verbally exchange blows between Europe and Iran on Monday that his country will withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if European countries add pressure on Tehran's regime over the nuclear issue.

"If Europe continues its misconduct against us, or lodges a complaint against Iran with the United Nations Security Council, we will unilaterally withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," Zarif said.

More on:

• US missile attack on Iraqi bases; Iran: US response to gunfire on Israel

• Are Iran's missiles coming to Israel?

• US warns: Iran could damage Middle Eastern ships

• The Elimination of the Century: The message of Suleimani counterterrorism has been echoed throughout the world

Earlier this morning, Zarif announced that due to "a sudden change in the event plan," he would not attend the World Economic Forum conference in Davos, Switzerland. Media outlets in the United States have argued that the cancellation may be related to Trump's speech at the event.

"The plans were changed abruptly and unilaterally," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Musabi said: "This is not the timetable we have agreed to and therefore we will not be attending Davos this year."

New deputy commander for Quds Force

Revolutionary Guards commander Hassan Salami announced today that he has appointed a new deputy commander to the Revolutionary Guards Foreign Force, Quds Force, in place of Ismail Qaani who has replaced United States Qassim Kassem Suleimani, Iranian news agency Thessalonians reported.

The new deputy commander-in-chief is Mohammed Hijazi, a native of Isfahan, who, like Suleimani and Qaani, served as a brigade commander during the Iraqi Iraq war during the Revolutionary Guards.

Quds Deputy Commander, Hijazi

Hijazi is considered a close associate of the Hezbollah organization in Lebanon and has a personal connection with the organization's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, after serving as a representative of the Revolutionary Guard in Lebanon in 2009.