Iran Rejects Report on Condition for Staying in JCPOA
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman rejected a report by Reuters about Tehran’s condition for staying in the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying such reports can spoil “the needed atmosphere for serious diplomacy”.
“The points of view and legitimate demands of Iran have been clearly and explicitly stated in Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s May 18 letter to the leaders of the countries remaining in the JCPOA,” Seyed Abbas Mousavi said in a statement on Tuesday.
Mousavi further emphasized that such “incomplete and inaccurate speculations” in the media not only are not constructive but also can lead to “spoiling the needed atmosphere for serious diplomacy in the current situation”.
In a report on Monday, Reuters claimed that Iran insists on exporting at least 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, triple May’s expected levels under US sanctions, as a condition for staying in the JCPOA.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) issued a statement on Wednesday, saying Iran is no longer fulfilling some of its obligations under the JCPOA, and setting a two-month deadline for the remaining parties to fulfill their undertakings.
“At the current stage, we are not committed to complying with restrictions on the keeping enriched uranium reserves and heavy water supplies,” the SNSC stated.
The statement came a few days after the US administration renewed five of seven sanctions waivers that allow Russia and European nations to conduct civilian nuclear cooperation with Iran but revoked the other two as part of its pressure campaign against Tehran.
Washington also stopped issuing waivers to buy Iranian crude oil on May 2.
Before the US moves, Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, had warned against their consequences.
On May 8, 2018, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA.
Following the US withdrawal, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.
The European Union has vowed to counter Trump’s renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures, but it has so far failed to do anything beyond making statements.
