Iran to End Voluntary Implementation of Additional Protocol Next Week: Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran will suspend the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as of February 21 if the JCPOA parties fail to honor commitments, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
Saeed Khatibzadeh said at a press conference on Monday that the Iranian administration will be required to stop the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol on February 21 under a parliamentary bill.
The new plan has been stipulated by the Parliament’s “strategic action” for lifting the sanctions and safeguarding national interests, ratified after the failure of the JCPOA’s European parties to fulfill Tehran’s interests under the nuclear deal and the escalation of American sanctions and hostile measures.
Although Iran will remain a party to the NPT Safeguards Agreement, the Iranian government will be required to prevent foreign access and monitoring beyond the Additional Protocol, the Foreign Ministry spokesman explained, saying it would not mean an end to all monitoring activities.
He reiterated that all of Iran’s measures are reversible, provided that the JCPOA parties live up to their commitments.
In December, the Iranian Parliament ratified a bill requiring the government to halt voluntary implementation of the NPT if the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal keep failing to honor their commitments.
In early January, Iran restarted the process of enriching uranium to 20 percent purity at the Fordow nuclear facility in accordance with the parliamentary law.