Tehran, Iran – The remaining parties to a landmark nuclear deal they signed with Iran in 2015 have renewed their commitment to agreeing the treaty at an online meeting.
The foreign ministers of Iran, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia were engaged in a two-hour meeting with the chairman of the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday.
In a pre-meeting tweet, Borrell said the aim was to “reaffirm our commitment to maintaining” the Joint Integrated Action Plan (JCPOA), as it is known. formal on the nuclear deal.
Today chaired a major ministerial meeting of the E3 / EU + 2 (China France, Germany, Russia, UK) and Iran – partners of the #JCPOA – to emphasize our commitment to maintaining the agreement.
– Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) 21 December 2020
A joint statement after the meeting said ministers had spoken “that the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA by all remains important and considered the need to address ongoing implementation challenges, including nuclear proliferation and sanctions build promises ”.
The agreement was enshrined by foreign ministers, enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, as a “key element” in the regime of global non-proliferation and diplomatic performance developing towards regional and inter-ethnic peace. -national.
The world powers have confirmed the International Atomic Energy Organization of the UN (IAEA) as the only independent and impartial body that can technically verify the implementation of the non-multiplication parts of the treaty.
The foreign ministers also expressed the “deep regret” over the unilateral departure of the United States from the May 2018 treaty that followed harsh economic sanctions on Iran.
“Ministers agreed to continue discussions to ensure full implementation of the JCPOA on all sides,” the statement said.
“Ministers acknowledged the expectation that the U.S. would return to the JCPOA and reaffirmed their willingness to address this in a concerted effort.”
U.S. President Joe Biden has vowed to bring his country back into the agreement and lift sanctions but has said more talks are needed about Iran’s missile program and regional influence.
Europe’s signatories to the nuclear deal have offered similar views, but Iran has rejected any other compromise, saying the nuclear deal must be implemented as it has been. arranged and signed in 2015.
Speaking after an official video conference, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Iran should avoid any tactical measures that would make it difficult for Biden to back down from President Donald Trump’s decision. cancel agreement.
“To make rapprochement possible with the U.S. under Biden, there shouldn’t be other innovative moves of the kind we’ve seen too many of recently,” he told reporters. “This opportunity, this last window of opportunity, must not be missed.”
The televised meeting on Monday came days after Iranian diplomats and signatories of other nuclear treaties held online talks chaired by EU foreign affairs chief Helga Schmid.
During that meeting, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that President Hassan Rouhani’s administration is opposed to a bill recently passed by Parliament, but is legally bound to implemented.
Legislation pushed by the hardliners in Iran’s parliament was locked in a matter of days earlier this month over the assassination of Iran’s leading nuclear and military scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in late November by what Iran believes was a vicious attack by Israel.
The bill calls on the Iranian government and the country’s Atomic Energy Agency to ban progressive centrifuges, increase uranium enrichment, and eliminate IAEA analysts if Iran does not receive economic benefits promised under the nuclear deal in two months .
In an interview published Monday, Iran’s nuclear program head Ali Akbar Salehi argued the bill, which among other things makes the Atomic Energy Agency 1,000 next-generation IR-6 centrifuges built.
Where should the money come from? If it’s local facilities, then they don’t know what our local facilities are or they don’t know how much IR-6 centrifuges will cost, ”he said.