The UN chief expressed regret in a report to the Security Council that the Trump administration withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions against Tehran and urged Iran to address concerns raised about its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and return to “full implementation” of its 2015 nuclear deal with major powers.
Expressing concern over Iran's decision to install centrifuges and enrich uranium, Guterres said in the report on the implementation of a council resolution endorsing the 2015 nuclear agreement that for the last five years the nuclear deal “has been largely viewed by the international community as a testament to the efficacy of multilateralism, diplomacy and dialogue, and a success in nuclear nonproliferation.”
Criticizing the US economic war against Iran, Secretary-General Guterres recounted the US actions and Security Council response in the report and stressed again “the importance of initiatives in support of trade and economic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially during the current economic and health challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
According to this report, the Security Council is scheduled to discuss the report on December 22.
While the UN Secretary-General has called on Iran to fully return to its commitments to the JCPOA, the European parties to the nuclear deal (France, Britain and Germany) have not complied with their obligations under the JCPOA since the US withdrawal.
However, the three European countries (E3) recently issued joint statements expressing concern over Iran's decision to install new centrifuges at the Natanz enrichment facility.
"If Iran is serious about maintaining a diplomatic atmosphere, it must abide by the agreement," the E3 said claiming that Iran's decision to install new centrifuges in Natanz violated the nuclear deal.
The US government withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and imposed other sanctions on Iran, in addition to imposing suspended sanctions under the agreement.
Despite verbal opposition to the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, the E3 did not live up to its promises to make up for the effects of the withdrawal.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, in response to the inaction of European countries in five steps in accordance with the provisions of the JCPOA, reduced its obligations under this agreement.
Addressing the "Mediterranean Dialogue" on last Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the government will have no choice but to implement the recent law adopted by the Parliament unless the US and European countries return to their commitments under the deal. Iran is ready to return to the agreement as soon as the US and E3 do so, he stressed.
The easy solution is for the E3 and US to return Iran’s economic ties with the rest of the world to normal, stop setting conditions for Tehran, and come back to their commitments under the JCPOA, then Iran will also fulfill its commitments, he said.
ZZ/FNA13990919000063/PR