In a meeting with British Deputy Foreign Secretary for the Middle East Andrew Murrison in Tehran, Araghchi highlighted the European countries’ procrastination and failure to honor their commitments under the nuclear deal – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying, "Sadly, there is no balance between our obligations and rights under the JCPOA; therefore, there remains no more reason for Iran to continue honoring the pact."
"We are convinced that Europe’s lack of commitment to its JCPOA undertakings was not because of incapability, but lack of determination. Europe is not ready to pay any cost for preserving the JCPOA,” the Iranian diplomat said.
“The European companies dare not to disobey the US Treasury Department’s orders, which means Europe’s lack of sovereignty, even inside its own borders," Araghchi added, saying that, “the decision to scale down Iran’s commitments under the JCPOA is a national and irreversible decision, and the Islamic Republic will keep to this trend until its demands are met.”
On May 8, 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew his country from the nuclear deal, which was signed between Iran and the P5+1.
European signatories, who claim they are trying to keep the accord alive by launching the long-awaited INSTEX to help Iran reap some benefits from the JCPOA, have so far failed to preserve Iran's benefits from the pact.
Running out of patience with the EU's inaction in the face of the growing US pressure, Iran reduced its commitments under the deal on May 8, and warned the EU that it would consider leaving the accord after 60 days if its demands were not met.
Araghchi stressed that the 60-day deadline would by no means be extended, stressing that Tehran would proceed with the next steps unless the JCPOA parties met Iran’s demands.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian diplomat also criticized the UK government’s one-sided stances on the regional issues, including its baseless accusations against Iran after the June 13 attacks on oil tankers in the Sea of Oman, saying, "It appears that the British government’s entanglement with the predicament of Brexit has prevented it from having a correct understanding of the global realities. Immature companionship with the US’ bully-style measures will result in nothing but an increase in the Iranians" historical aversion to the UK policies."
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed the conditions of the imprisoned dual British-Iranian citizen, Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, who has been charged with espionage.
His British husband Richard Ratcliffe has been staging a strike in front of the Iranian Embassy in London to mount the pressure on Tehran to release her.
Araghchi said Iran’s Judiciary “will never be affected by such blackmail”, stressing that “those accused of espionage crimes must complete their jail terms”.
MNA/MFA
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