TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Europe does not want to pay the least price to keep 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“We have been convinced that Europe’s refusal to abide by its commitments under the JCPOA does not come from inability but from lack of will.”
“We have been convinced that Europe’s refusal to abide by its commitments under the JCPOA does not come from inability but from lack of will. Europe does not want to pay the least cost to preserve the JCPOA. The European companies do not dare to disobey the U.S. Treasury’s orders which means Europe’s lack of sovereignty even inside of its borders,” Araghchi said during a meeting with British Minister of State for the Middle East Andrew Murrison in Tehran.

Araghchi noted that Iran’s decision to reduce its commitments under the JCPOA is a “national decision”, saying Tehran will go ahead with the plan by the time the country’s demands are met.

Murrison called on Iran to remain committed to the JCPOA, saying Britain will abide by the deal.

On May 8, Iran announced a partial withdrawal from some aspects of the nuclear pact, saying that the country would no longer adhere to some of the limits on its nuclear activities. It also threatened to step up uranium enrichment if an agreement is not made within 60 days to protect it from the sanctions’ effects. The deadline ends on July 7.

Iran has threatened if a decision is not made by that date it will take the next steps.

In line with Tehran’s decision to scale back its commitments under the nuclear deal in protest to reimposition of sanctions, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced on June 17 that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium will exceed 300 kilograms by June 27.

After June 27, Kamalvandi said, Iran will speed up its uranium enrichment activities beyond 3.67 percent if the other sides don’t take a practical step.

“After surpassing 300 kilogram, we will increase the speed of producing enriched uranium above 3.67 percent,” Kamalvandi stated.

Iran has insisted it will reverse its decision if it is shielded from sanctions.

NA/PA