Iran Says Re-Imposition of EU Sanctions is Contrary to Good Faith

Revoking a decision by a European court to lift the bans leads to “loss of confidence” as Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) are still in talks to clinch a final nuclear accord by the end of June, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said on Wednesday.

“While negotiations continue and efforts are underway for a comprehensive agreement, the EU’s measure… is unconstructive,” she said.

Afkham also voiced “regret” over the EU’s inattention to “decisions made by European courts”, saying that the re-imposition of the sanctions “will not help the current process of the talks and causes loss of confidence”.

In January, the General Court of the European Union annulled the illegal bans on Bank Tejarat and 40 Iranian shipping companies, citing lack of enough evidence against them.

However, the EU’s Official Journal said on Wednesday that 32 of the companies as well as Bank Tejarat are back on the sanctions list based on “a new statement of reasons”.

The move by the EU came after Iran and the Group 5+1 on April 2 reached a framework nuclear agreement after more than a week of intensive negotiations in Lausanne, Switzerland, with both sides committed to push for a final, comprehensive accord until the end of June.

Under the agreement, all the sanctions will be removed in exchange for some nuclear-related measures taken by Tehran.