By M.A. Saki

It is legal charade to claim right out of U.S. name in Resolution 2231: ex-diplomat 

TEHRAN – A former diplomat says it is legally “absurd” that the U.S. claims it is still a participant to the 2015 nuclear deal just because its name is mentioned in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses the pact.

Rouhani: U.S. lost historic opportunity to review wrong Iran approach

TEHRAN - President Rouhani told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the U.S. missed the “best historic opportunity” to rectify its mistakes by lifting illegal sanctions against Iran which is hit hard by the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Beijing resolved to keep JCPOA alive: Chinese envoy

TEHRAN - Wang Qun, the Chinese envoy to the Vienna-based international organizations, said on Wednesday that his country will do its best to save the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the official name for the 2015 nuclear deal. 

EU’s Borrell says remains committed to keep nuclear deal alive

TEHRAN – European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that he will remain committed to keep the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the JCPOA, alive.

Tehran to host EU's Borrell on Monday: Foreign Ministry

TEHRAN - The Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi announced on Sunday that European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is scheduled to pay a visit to Tehran on Monday for talks with Iran’s senior officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. 

Denmark urges all JCPOA signatories to honor their obligations 

TEHRAN - Christina Markus Lassen, political director at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday voiced her country’s concern over the activation of the dispute mechanism in the nuclear deal by the European sides, urging all signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to adhere to their commitments. 

Iran rules out massive cancelation of inbound tours

TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy tourism minister Vali Teymouri on Monday ruled out speculations that inbound tours have been massively canceled in the wake of recent tragic incidents in the country.

Nuclear deal savable if remaining signatories act willfully: Araghchi

TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly called the nuclear deal, can be preserved if the remaining signatories show enough determination. 

Iran takes fifth and last step to end commitment to JCPOA

TEHRAN - Late on Sunday, Iran took the fifth and last step to fully end commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the government announced in a statement.

By Afshin Majlesi

World reacts to Trump’s threat to raid Iranian culture targets as ‘a war crime’

TEHRAN - Donald Trump’s new threat to attack 52 important targets in Iran, including cultural sites, has provoked a strong backlash worldwide, with many calling it a “war crime.”

Rouhani: U.S. should return to right track if it really wants to talk to Iran 

TEHRAN- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in a ceremony in Ardabil province on Wednesday, voiced his country’s readiness to resume talks with the U.S. provided that Washington returns to the 2015 nuclear deal and fulfils its obligations under the pact, including lift of sanctions.  

Iran warns against travel to U.S., citing risk of arrest, detention

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a travel advisory for citizens, particularly scientists, not to visit the United States, saying Iranians may be faced with arbitrary arrest or lengthy detention in inhuman conditions.

Remaining nuclear deal parties meet in Vienna

TEHRAN - The remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA, met in Vienna on Friday to discuss issues surrounding the multilateral accord.

Foreign travelers not deterred by Iranophobia: tourism official

TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy tourism minister on Monday said that anti-Iranian sentiment or Iranophobia, which has long been forged and spread by some Western governments and media, has not prevented foreign travelers from visiting the country.

Book recounting Leader’s criticism of JCPOA published 

TEHRAN – A book recounting Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s criticism of the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) has recently been published in Tehran.

IAEA report shows full access to Iranian nuclear facilities: envoy

TEHRAN – Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the Vienna-based international organizations, said on Monday that the Monday report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran’s nuclear activities shows the UN body’s full access to Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Iran says not to rely on foreigners’ JCPOA promises 

TEHRAN – The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Tehran has left the door open for dialogue on implementation of the JCPOA but it will never decide the nation’s fate based on foreigners’ promises and words.

Shamkhani: Iranian people’s interests “not negotiable”

TEHRAN – Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said on Thursday that the Iranian people’s legal rights as well as their interests “are not negotiable”.

Lavrov blames U.S. for events surrounding Iran nuclear deal 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday called on Iran to fulfill the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, but said Moscow understood why Tehran was cutting back on its commitments, the New York Times reported.

Iran starts injecting uranium gas into centrifuges at Fordow facility 

TEHRAN – On Wednesday, Iran started to inject uranium gas into centrifuges at the Fordow nuclear facility under the supervision of inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog.

Top MP urges administration to take stronger fourth nuclear step

TEHRAN – A senior member of the parliament has urged the administration of President Hassan Rouhani to take its next step of scaling back its commitments under the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran to operate new part of Arak reactor within next 2 weeks

TEHRAN – The special aide for the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced on Sunday that the secondary part of the Arak heavy water reactor will become operational within the next two weeks.

Rezaee warns govt. against delay to take fourth nuclear step

TEHRAN – Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of the Expediency Council, has warned the Rouhani administration against delaying to take the fourth step in scaling down Iran’s commitments to the 2015 nuclear agreement, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Trump enjoyed destroying nuclear deal as Obama’s major foreign policy success: professor

TEHRAN - Roy Licklider, an adjunct senior research scholar at the Saltzman Institute for War and Peace Studies and adjunct professor of political science, says Donald Trump was happy to kill the 2015 nuclear deal which was President Barack Obama’s major foreign policy success.

Iran says foreseeing next nuclear modification steps if Europe fails to honor commitments

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi has said that Tehran has even prepared plans for the next stages to scale down its nuclear deal commitments if the European side remains indifferent to the fourth step, the Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday.

By Afshin Majlesi

Words versus deeds: Are White House sanctions on Iranians economic terrorism?

Tehran accuses Washington of launching an economic terrorism against Iranian people, a claim that the U.S. denies.

Bolton was a wrong choice by the impulsive president

TEHRAN - Donald Trump trumped his national security advisor John Bolton on Tuesday via a Twitter, saying he had "strongly disagreed" with many of Bolton's positions.  

Iran, EU will try to preserve nuclear deal: professor

TEHRAN – A professor of political science at University of North Texas says that the European Union and Iran will try to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

By Afshin Majlesi

Eye-opening experience: As many Americans as possible should visit Iran

TEHRAN - Judith Bello, a long-time American peace activist, who has visited Iran for two times, believes such a journey “will be an eye-opening experience”.

Zarif calls talks with Macron on nuclear deal ‘constructive’

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said talks he held on Friday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron on how to implement the 2015 nuclear deal were productive”, according to the IRNA news agency.