Publish Date: 7 July 2019 - 10:54

Iran set to announce new decision aimed to save JCPOA

Tehran, July 7 IRNA – Iran is expected to announce new decision in matter of hours to reduce commitments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Foreign Ministry said that the new decisions aimed to save the nuclear deal by putting pressure on states parties to the JCPOA.

Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabei, the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Behrouz Kamalvandi will hold a press conference to announce Iran's new decision, based on the statement of Iran's Supreme National Security Council to reduce its commitment to the deal.

The deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was reached in 2015. endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 lifted the international sanctions on Iran.

Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activity in return for lifting economic sanctions. However, the sanctions were re-imposed after the US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said on the anniversary of the US withdrawal from the deal in May that Iran would reduce its commitment to reciprocate the EU inaction to make good on Iran's loss caused by the US pull-out.

The reduction included lifting Iran's limit in terms of producing heavy water and uranium enrichment.

Tehran said that if the European signatories do not take sufficient steps to secure Iran's interests under the JCPOA, Tehran will move forward with the reduction after the next 60-day deadline as well.

Now the deadline is over and Iran has got prepared to take a new step. In line with the decisions, the country increased its enriched uranium stocks beyond the limit of JCPOA.

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that the %3.67 enriched uranium stockpile exceeded the 300 kilogram.

President Hassan Rouhani said this week that Iran will no longer remain committed to observe the 3.67 percent enrichment ceiling. He emphasized, however, that the measures would be reversible if the European sides fulfill their obligations under the JCPOA, and Iran's interests are secured.

The decision will come no more than two weeks after the latest joint commission of JCPOA convened in Vienna. Iran's head of delegation, Araghchi said that operation of Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges INSTEX although a step forward, was not enough.

President Rouhani told the French President Emanuel Macron in a phone conversation last night that the US must lift the unilateral sanctions and the EU partners must buy oil from Iran and pay money by INSTEX.

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