EU’s Unfulfilled Promises to Lead into Iran’s Exit from JCPOA: Official
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Senior adviser to the Iranian parliament speaker for international affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian warned that the European Union’s continued failure to meet its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal known as JCPOA will lead to Tehran’s withdrawal from the accord.
“The lack of practical action by the European parties to fulfill their commitments is a major obstacle in the path to save the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” Amir Abdollahian said at a meeting with Jens Plotner, the policy director of Germany's Foreign Ministry, in Tehran on Thursday.
“Time is running out,” he said, adding, “The continuation of oil purchases by Europe and the immediate launch of an effective banking channel, are least actions that Europe can take to deal with the White House’s misconduct and to rebuild the lost trust in Europe.”
He further pointed to provocative measures by the US and said, “Europe should either take a practical and effective action or see a new path adopted by Iran.”
Plotner, for his part, highlighted the importance of efforts to save the JCPOA and described continued diplomacy and negotiation as the only political solution to get out of current problems.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) issued a statement on May 8, 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.
Speaking at a cabinet session on the same day, President Hassan Rouhani said the five remaining parties to the JCPOA -Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany- have been informed of Tehran’s decision to refuse to continue honoring two commitments under the deal.
He said Iran stops selling any enriched uranium above the 300-kg limit in exchange for yellow cake and also stops selling its heavy water above the limit of 130 tons.
The president also announced that the JCPOA parties will have 60 days to come to the negotiating table and fulfill Iran’s main interests under the nuclear deal, especially regarding oil sales and banking interaction.
If Iran does not achieve the desired results after 60 days, it will take two more measures and stop observing the limit on uranium enrichment to 3.67 percent purity, he added.
The president said Iran will also make a new decision about its Arak heavy water reactor –which was planned to be renovated with the participation of the JCPOA parties- after the 60-day deadline.
Rouhani also threatened that Iran will take a “decisive measure” if the JCPOA parties would intend to send Iran’s nuclear case to the UN Security Council.
Iran’s announcement comes a year after US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the agreement, which was signed in 2015.
