TEHRAN – In a post on his Twitter account on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told France, Britain and France – the three European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal – that there is no prohibition for enriching uranium by Iran “neither now, nor in 2025 or beyond.”

The tweet by Zarif came after French Ambassador to Washington Gerard Araud in a tweet on Saturday claimed that “it’s false to say that at the expiration of the JCPOA, Iran will be allowed to enriching uranium.”

Under the international nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran is obliged to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions. According to the agreement, endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the limits on Iran’s enrichment program will be lifted in 2025.

“Reminder to our E3 partners in #JCPOA: There is NO prohibition on the enrichment of uranium by Iran under #NPT, JCPOA or UNSCR 2231. Neither now, nor in 2025 or beyond,” Zarif asserted. 

Zarif advised the French ambassador to go and study the JCPOA text.

“Might be useful for European partners to actually read the document they signed on to, and pledged to defend,” Zarif noted.

Also, Zarif’s deputy Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that France must explain about the remarks by its ambassador.  Araqchi said if the statement by Ambassador Araud represents the French government’s position it is an open violation of the JCPOA and the UN Resolution 2231.

“If tweets by @GerardAraud represent French position, we’re facing a major violation of the object and purpose of the JCPOA and UNSCR 2231,” Araqchi tweeted.

Araqchi said it is necessary that France to immediately clarify on its ambassador’s remarks.

“Needs immediate clarification by Paris, or we act accordingly,” noted Araqchi who acted as a leading nuclear negotiator with the 5+1 group that led to conclusion of the JCPOA.

PA/PA