Iran says E3, US had better stop pressure on its nuke program

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Iran says France, Germany, Britain, and the United States must quit issuing statements and exerting fruitless pressure on Tehran and take the necessary political steps instead.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani made the statement on Friday in reaction to a joint statement issued by the three European parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement – Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the United States on Thursday.

The Western statement has condemned what is claimed to be an increase by Iran in the production rate of highly enriched uranium of up to 60% purity.

As always, the Iranian official underscored the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. He said Tehran still believes diplomacy is the best approach toward the removal of unreal concerns about the peaceful Iranian nuclear activities.

“Now the ball is in the court of the US and the three European countries. They should take the necessary political decisions by abandoning the policy of issuing statements and fruitless pressure,” Kan’ani stated.

The US and the European troika – also known as the E3 – have left the negotiating table, the Iranian diplomat reminded. They are, therefore, in no position to make any comment about Iran's nuclear program, he added.

“Enrichment at 60% level in Iran's enrichment centers has always been and will continue to be in accordance with the peaceful needs of the country and fully under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”

Instead of pursuing a blame-game policy and taking politically-motivated positions, the US and the E3 had better review their performance regarding the sanctions removal talks in the past two years and observe the outcome of their unconstructive policies, Kan’ani said.

The spokesman reiterated Iran’s position in continuing cooperation with the IAEA.

Unilateral demands and unwillingness to correct the wrong measures taken by Western countries will not help settle the nuclear issue, the Iranian official said.

In May 2019, a year after the US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA, Iran started to take “remedial measures” by reducing its commitments under the deal after the European troika failed to fulfill theirs.

Tehran began to gradually remove a cap set in the JCPOA on its nuclear activities at bi-monthly intervals. At the time, Iran also maintained that if the Iranian economy was shielded from sanctions, it would reverse its nuclear decision.

In September, President Ebrahim Raeisi said Iran’s uranium enrichment to the purity level of 60% was in response to the lack of commitment by the three European parties to the JCPOA.