Adoption of Anti-Iran Resolution Contradicts E3’s Claims of JCPOA Commitment: Russia

"Reassurances of British, German and French colleagues that they are committed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and looking for ways to minimize the negative effect of American sanctions against Iran run counter to their actions to heighten tensions surrounding the Iranian nuclear program at the IAEA as well as speculations about triggering the dispute resolution mechanism under article 36 of the JCPOA," Maria Zakharova said during her weekly press conference on Monday.

She added, "The adoption of IAEA Board of Governors resolution on Iran was not dictated by the reality of applying guarantees in Iran”.

"We are certain that all questions arising, including the agreement of access to facilities that the agency is interested in, could be resolved in the framework of standard procedures of cooperation between states and the IAEA Secretariat."

"It is not coincidental that the resolution, in the end, was not supported by states representing more than half of the world’s population, including two UN Security Council permanent members," Zakharova stressed.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also emphasized that Moscow along with Chinese partners warned the sponsors in advance that this resolution would be counterproductive, as it will only do harm. "We repeatedly urged against playing up to backers of the policy of maximum pressure on Iran which completely discredited itself both politically and practically," she said.

The United Kingdom, Germany and France understand that the root cause of all faults in implementing the JCPOA on the Iranian nuclear program has been and remains the US actions, the Russian spokeswoman said,

She recalled that on June 19 heads of diplomatic agencies of these countries issued a statement representing their view of state of affairs and prospects of implementing the Iranian nuclear deal. "The root cause of all difficulties and faults in the process of implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal has been and remains the destructive actions of the United States who unilaterally quit the JCPOA and to this day continues to systematically violate demands of UN Security Council Resolution 2231," Zakharova pointed out.

"Clearly, this is understood in European capitals, since they deemed it necessary to remind [the world] about their regrets and concerns in this regard."

Moscow is calling on European parties to the JCPOA to confirm their commitment to the agreement on the eve of the deal’s fifth anniversary, the diplomat said.

"We believe it is vital that all current parties (to the JCPOA) reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the high goals set in the JCPOA," the diplomat noted. "The great occasion to do that seems to be July 14, the fifth anniversary of signing the JCPOA. We are urging the European parties to the comprehensive agreements to seize this opportunity to return to the unifying agenda and continue fighting for the common good."

The 35-member IAEA board passed the resolution on Friday, demanding access to two old places they claim nuclear work may have been done there.

Nine countries out of 35 members to the IAEA board did not vote for the resolution. China and Russia voted against the resolution and Thailand, Mongolia, Niger, South Africa, India, Pakistan and the Republic of Azerbaijan abstained to vote.