Iran: Cooperation with IAEA not the only option 

TEHRAN – Tehran has said that cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency is not the only option that the country could adopt vis-a-vis the international nuclear watchdog.

General Soleimani says ‘JCPOA2’ would undermine Iran

TEHRAN – Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Qods Force, said on Thursday that “enemies” of the Islamic Republic want to renegotiate the JCPOA in order to undermine Iran and uproot Islamic movements. He called the attempt “JCPOA2”.

Warsaw meeting won’t bear results: Ayatollah Khamenei

TEHRAN – The recent anti-Iran summit pushed by the U.S. and hosted by Poland won’t bear the results that the organizers expected, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday.

Rouhani: Rallies are a decisive response to exorbitant demands of ill-wishers

TEHRAN - President Rouhani issued a statement on Monday thanking people for their massive turnout in the Bahman 22 rallies, saying their “magnificent”, “meaningful” and “timely” participation in the great festivities celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution marked a “durable” show of “solidarity” and the “greatness” of the Iranian nation.

‘Warmonger-in-chief Bolton’ push against Iran falling flat: Gareth Porter

TEHRAN – Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist, has called U.S. national security advisor John Bolton “warmonger-in-chief” and said his “tricks” to bring new accusations against Iran over its nuclear program are getting nowhere.

Rouhani says Iran to launch Payam satellite soon

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said on Monday that the Payam satellite will soon be launched into space with an altitude of 600 kilometers.

Political wisdom evaporating in U.S.: Iranian general

TEHRAN - Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps second-in-command, said on Tuesday that lack of political wisdom in the U.S. can be easily noticed.

Restoring economic stability is a priority: Jahangiri

TEHRAN - Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri said on Monday that the government prioritizes planning to restore economic stability.

U.S. criticized at UNSC for exiting nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Members of the United Nations Security Council have thrown their full support for the 2015 nuclear deal despite pressure by the U.S. which was criticized at the chamber for exiting the agreement in defiance of international objection, Press TV reported.

Washington will soon ‘regret’ pressure on Iran, official says

TEHRAN – Iran will not give in to U.S. pressure, says Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi, asserting that the Islamic Republic will get through the current predicament.

Iran warns EU hesitation will put JCPOA in jeopardy 

TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs told a high-ranking meeting with EU officials that the bloc’s hesitation to introduce its mechanism for trade with Iran after Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal will make the international pact face serious challenges.

Araqchi: Iran’s benefits from JCPOA has reached ‘zero’

TEHRAN – Abbas Araqchi, the deputy foreign minister for political affairs, warned on Monday that the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is in a “very bad situation”.

Foreign Ministry denies plans to exit JCPOA

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Wednesday dismissed rumors that the ministry is getting ready to pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA, saying such rumors are designed to negatively impact the Iranian economy.

By staff and agency

Amano reconfirms Iran is abiding by the nuclear deal

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukio Amano has reiterated that Iran is implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

By Javad Heirannia

Trump’s decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran only isolates Washington: Davenport

TEHRAN - Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association says that “Trump’s decision to violate the nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions only isolates Washington, undermines U.S. credibility, and risks damaging the utility of sanctions down the road.”

MP says U.S. was given samples from Iranian nuclear rotor sediments in late 2016

TEHRAN – MP Hosseinali Haji-Deligani on Monday accused the government of having gone beyond the 2015 deal - aka Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – by giving samples of nuclear rotor sediments to Americans.

Iran’s UK ambassador: It is impossible to renegotiate nuclear deal

Speaking at the famous Oxford Union debating society, Iran’s ambassador to the UK has revealed the extensive efforts made by European nations to counter anti-Iran U.S. sanctions.

UN’s top court rules in favor of Iran, orders U.S. to lift sanctions

The United Nation's top court on Wednesday ordered the United States to lift sanctions on "humanitarian" goods to Iran that President Donald Trump reimposed after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal, The Daily Start reported.

By Javad Heirannia

Next election is a referendum for Trump: Pillar

TEHRAN – Professor Paul Pillar, who was CIA intelligence analyst for 28 years, tells the Tehran Times that “No doubt other participants in the coming Security Council meeting--and not just Iran, which needs to be given an opportunity to speak--will raise the point that the United States under Trump has been in violation of an agreement that became enshrined in a Security Council resolution that passed by a unanimous vote.”

Rouhani: ‘If Trump wants to talk to Iran, he first should return to nuclear deal’

TEHRAN - President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran would only talk to U.S. President Donald Trump if his administration proved its trustworthiness and reversed its decision on the 2015 nuclear agreement.

There is every indication Americans continue to harbor the illusion of regime change in Iran, Zarif says 

Zarif: Europe must protect nuclear deal for ‘its own sovereignty’

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has told German magazine Der Spiegel that Europe must guard the 2015 nuclear agreement not for Iran but for “its own sovereignty and its long-term economic interests”.

'Gradualism' not proper approach to save nuclear deal, Salehi tells EU

TEHRAN - Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Monday that “approach of gradualism” adopted by the European Union’s is not a proper way to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

UN watchdog: Iran living up to its nuclear commitments 

TEHRAN - Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano once again confirmed on Monday that Iran is honoring its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran, the European Union and the 5+1 nations (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany).

By Payman Yazdani

Turkey to continue buying gas from Iran despite U.S. sanctions: expert

TEHRAN - Omid Shokri Kalehsar, a senior energy security analyst and PhD candidate in international relations, said in an exclusive interview with Mehr News Agency that Turkey is keen on buying natural gas from Iran with “reasonable price” in contrast to the price it pays for the gas imported from Russia and Azerbaijan.

Zarif said says “oil and banks” are the litmus test for keeping the nuclear deal alive. 

Tehran says will boost enrichment if EU acts passively

TEHRAN – Tehran says it could increase uranium enrichment if the European Union continues to act passively in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.

By Mohammad Ghaderi - Twitter: @ghaderi62 - Email: m.ghaderi62@gmail.com

Europe's Hollow Threats

Although there has recently been lots of controversies on issues such as developing an "independent payment system" Europe and a "pseudo-swift structure" to maintain the nuclear deal with Iran, many analysts and experts in economic affairs believe that there's no real intention to actualize this idea among the EU authorities. In the meantime, there are deterrent factors that have hampered European independence from the United States, and it seems that these factors are now highlighted under the presidency of Donald Trump.

Expert: Trump’s better nuclear deal is an ‘illusion’

Kelsey Davenport says Trump is bent on fulfilling ‘irresponsible’ campaign promise on the nuclear deal

TEHRAN – President Donald Trump is doing his utmost to fulfill his “irresponsible” campaign promise on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, irrespective of situation and outcomes, the director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association has said, IRNA said on Monday.

Russia says firm to maintain Iran nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday that Moscow is determined to maintain the Iran nuclear deal jointly with other parties, Tele Trader reported, citing local media. 

By Mohammad Ghaderi & Payman Yazdani

UK minister: We seek no covert operation in Iran, plan to build ties

TEHRAN - UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, in an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, reaffirms his country’s support to the 2015 nuclear deal following the U.S. unilateral withdrawal from the agreement, saying the UK, along with the European Union, are doing all they can to provide the mechanism by which they can continue trade transactions with Iran.

IAEA: Iran sticking to the nuclear deal

Iran has remained within the main restrictions on its nuclear activities imposed by a 2015 deal with major powers, a confidential report by the UN atomic watchdog said on Thursday.