SHAFAQNA – IRNA: Alexander G. Maryasov, former Russian Ambassador to Iran believes that Tehran is seeking its lawful interests enshrined by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and has taken the third step of reducing commitments to force the partners to fulfill their commitments.
Speaking to IRNA, Maryasov said that Tehran exercised 18-month patience after US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, adding that Iran is interested in preserving the JCPOA.
He added that Iran’s three steps for decreasing its commitments to the JCPOA does not mean violation of the deal or pulling out of it since Tehran has set aside commitments which had earlier accepted voluntarily.
Iran has tried its best to make Europeans comply with their commitments and help continuation of Iran’s foreign commercial cooperation, he noted.
The Russian official reminded that the European signatories including France, UK and Germany could not implement their commitments to the JCPOA.
He reiterated that France President Emanuel Macron’s initiative on Iran has still ambiguity and depends on Trump’s reaction.
US has adopted maximum pressure as its policy, Maryasov said, adding that such approach has affected any interaction with Iran and impedes realization of the diplomatic initiatives for de-escalation.
He went on to say that US aims to initiate conflict with Iran since it is aware of the fact that situation in the Middle East will become tense and Tehran will be able to deal a blow to US with the help of its allies in the region.
On the first anniversary of the US withdrawal from the deal on May 8, 2019, Tehran decided to reduce its commitments to the JCPOA, based on Article 26 and 36, and set a deadline for Europeans to remedy breaches.
Earlier, President Hassan Rouhani said that the government is moving on the right path by reducing its nuclear commitments, stressing that Tehran cannot be patient while the other parties fail to stick to their commitments.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Thursday disclosed details of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s letter to High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on Iran’s third nuclear step.
He said that Zarif in a letter to Mogherini announced that due to consequences of the US withdrawal from JCPOA and re-imposition of sanctions against it as well as three European states’ inability to fulfill their commitments under the deal and statements of the joint commission, Iran ceases all its commitments in JCPOA in the field of nuclear research and development as of today (Thursday).
“The letter has reiterated that the move was taken just exactly in line with Iran’s rights under the JCPOA, especially Clause 36 and in response to extensive and regular violation of the deal over the past 16 months and technical and operational details of stopping Iran’s commitments in the field of research and development will be communicated to the IAEA subsequently,” he said.
The letter concluded that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready of talks with the remaining parties in JCPOA to show its goodwill and return to the deal as soon as the other parties do their part under the accord, Mousavi said.
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