President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran will stop selling its enriched uranium and heavy water in a reciprocal act to the US’ withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposition of sanctions.
The president noted that the decision "does not mean that Iran will leave the nuclear agreement.”
Rouhani said Iran will give a 60-day moratorium to the remaining parties to the deal to remedy the breaches and preserve Iran's interests enshrined by JCPOA.
He further said that the European signatories to the deal were doing well in lip service, but they were unable to implement what they vowed.
In light of this development, we reached to Nader Entessar, professor emeritus of political science from university of South Alabama.
Following is the full text of our interview with him:
The Iran has decided to reduce part of Tehran’s JCPOA commitment. How do you evaluate this decision from a legal point of view? Can one say that Iran has withdrawn from the deal?
I think this was an appropriate and long-overdue decision. Of course, it is a minimalist response but a clear signal that Iran's patience with Europe's nonperformance of its obligations under the JCPOA is wearing thin. The decision is a legal decision under the framework of articles 26 and 37 of the JCPOA. In other words, Iran is still abiding by its legal obligations and has by no means withdrawn from the nuclear deal.
Don’t you think that Iran’s measure is a response to European countries’ lack of commitments?
Yes. the European parties to the JCPOA have been toying with Iran for a long time now. While paying lip service to the JCPOA, they have caved in under the US pressure, and in essence, have demonstrated their own inability or unwillingness to implement their obligations. Most everybody knew that once the US withdrew from the JCPOA, Europe would not be able to challenge the US and would follow US diktat.
Can this decision reduce US pressures on the country or convince Europe to do more to safeguard Iran’s interests under the deal?
Probably not. I think now the US will try to put even more pressure on Europe to act as Washington's junior partner in this sordid affair. Europe is not an independent player in Wahington's "Game of Thrones" against Iran; it is clearly a secondary instrument in Washington's hands.
Interview by Payman Yazdani