“Iran’s notification to the ambassadors of Germany, the UK, China and Russia on the suspension of ‘certain obligations’ under the so-called nuclear deal is not abandoning the deal yet, but rather a diplomatic demarche,” Kosachev, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Russian parliament’s upper house, wrote on Facebook, Urdupoint reported.
He noted that Iran’s decision was a direct consequence of the US withdrawal from the agreement.
“On May 8, it is exactly one year since [US President] Donald Trump announced this extremely dangerous step for the whole world and security, and the current Iranian demarche is timed to the anniversary of this decision,” Kosachev said.
The remarks came as Iran revealed on Wednesday countermeasures to US’ withdrawal from the nuclear deal, giving the other remaining parties to the JCPOA a 60-day ultimatum to comply with their commitments, particularly those regarding Iran’s economic interests in the banking and energy sectors, before reducing further commitments to the agreement stage by stage.
The decision to reduce commitments to the JCPOA comes as Washington is ramping up pressure against Iran, by re-imposing new sanctions, including restrictions on Iran’s low-level uranium enrichment, and ending the sanctions waivers for Iran’s major oil clients in an attempt to drive the country’s oil exports to zero.
Iran has stressed that it has no intention to leave the JCPOA, and its decision on reducing commitments is still within the framework of the agreement.
- source : Mehrnews
