“This means that Americans should first apologize to the Iranian people and return to the JCPOA, then remove sanctions and build trust. Also, they should implement their commitments to open the path of negotiations, otherwise, there will be no talks with the US,” he added.

US administration unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action back in May 2018 and then, imposed severe sanctions on the country’s economy. Washington has implemented ‘maximum pressure’ policy against Iran in order to force the country to renegotiate the JCPOA and add some other paragraphs to it, including limitations on Iran’s missile program. Tehran has dismissed the possibility of such talks, noting that if US wants to negotiate, it must first come back to JCPOA which they have already violated and also remove illegal sanctions.

Nanvakenari went on to say that the remarks by the Islamic Revolution Leader on Tuesday carried a ‘clear’ message to the world, adding, “America is aware of our stance but its arrogant behavior doesn’t let it understand such a message; whenever they abandon this behavior and consider these conditions, the path is open, provided that US officials come to their senses.”

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei said on Tuesday that “If the Americans back off and repent, and implements the nuclear deal from which they have withdrawn, then they can also take part in and talk during negotiations between Iran and the countries that are part of this deal. Otherwise, there will be absolutely no negotiation between the officials of the Islamic Republic and the US at any level; neither in New York nor anywhere else.”

The post Window of negotiations to open only if Iran’s conditions are met: MP appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Referring to different stances of US officials regarding talks with Iran, Ayatollah Khamanei said “Sometimes they call for negotiations with no preconditions and other times they talk of negotiations under 12 conditions. These contradictory remarks are either a sign of their confused policies or is a trick to confuse the other side. Of course the Islamic Republic will not be confused since our path is clear and we are aware of what we do.”

US’s aim for negotiations is not to find a fair solution but to impose its ‘insolent demands’ on Iran, he said.

“US aims to prove to all that maximum pressure has worked and that officials of the Islamic Republic were forced to come to the negotiating table despite previously saying ‘we won’t negotiate’. [And] so [to prove that] the only way to face Iran is through maximum pressure.”

“If America takes back its words and repents and returns to the nuclear deal, which they have violated, they can take part in the meetings of signatories to this agreement with Iran. Otherwise, no negotiation on any level will happen between officials of the Islamic Republic and America, neither in New York nor anywhere else,” said Ayatollah Khamenei said, in reference to foreign media speculations of a possible meeting between President Rouhani and Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming UNGA meeting in New York .

The post Leader rules out possibility of Iran-US talks on any level appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Elaborating on the status of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Salehi said “There is a broad agreement among the international community that the JCPOA is a real turning point in the history of multilateralism as an important international achievement.”

“Against lifting of nuclear-related sanctions, Iran has accepted some provisional limitations on its nuclear program and provided unprecedented level of monitoring and access to the IAEA in the context of new commitment under the additional protocol and the JCPOA itself,” he said, adding, “In this regard it is noteworthy with only 3% of worldwide nuclear facilities, Iran has provided almost 20% of Agency’s accesses.”

“At the same time, the Islamic Republic of Iran has always made it clear that acquiring, producing, stockpiling, and eventually the used of weapons of mass destruction is neither legitimate under religious principles nor envisaged in Iran’s defense doctrine,” he stressed.

Salehi went on to say that despite verifications of the IAEA, US called the JCPOA as the worse deal of that country and withdraw from it, noting, “It is noteworthy that the US has developed all categories of weapon of mass destruction including nuclear weapons, and even used it against others.” Washington is also threatening some other countries with use of nukes, he said.

“Although the deal has been praised as an outstanding achievement of years of diplomatic efforts, respective states have failed to go beyond expressing regret for the violation of UN Security Council resolution 2231 by the US administration,” said Salehi.

“The outcome of the deal for us has turned into inhumane and illegal sanctions against our trade, economy and foreigners’ investments in clear contradiction with the provisions of the JCPOA and the UN Security resolution. Unfortunately such sanctions have also affected areas such as food, medicine, radiopharmaceutical products and even Iran’s nuclear regulatory authority.”

“It should be emphasized that the JCPOA is a multilateral deal, encompasses rights and responsibilities for all parties; therefore implementation of this deal by only one party is not a legitimate expectation nor a practical possibility.”

He went on to say that Iran showed ‘strategic patience’ for more than a year after US withdrawal from the deal “to allow the remaining parties to the deal to fulfill their commitments including compensation of the effects of this withdrawal.”

Salehi said that despite promises of other countries to save the agreement, “We are still far from realizing the basic objectives of the deal and meeting the legitimate demands of Iran. Hence there were no options for Iran other resorting to the relevant provisions of the JCPOA to seize partially its commitments in order to provide a new window diplomacy to preserve the deal.”

“It should be noted that Iran’s partial cessation of its commitments is reversible in case of full and effective implementation of JCPOA by the remaining parties to the deal,” highlighted the Iranian official.

“Preserving the deal is a common responsibility of all members of the international community and if the world fails to save the agreement, multilateralism will lose its effectiveness and any further peaceful resolution of the conflicts will be challenged.”

He also called on the international community to condemn US unilateral measures.

The post US unilateral measures endangers intl. peace: Salehi appeared first on Iran News Daily.

He said under the third step, the agency activated 20 IR-4 and 20 IR-6 centrifuges on Friday.

“We have injected gas into a 20-set cascade of IR6 centrifuges since yesterday and assembling the 30-set cascade is our next plan.”

The country, however, will allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to continue monitoring its nuclear program, he added.

According to the AEOI spokesman, four other measures, including launching the middle-cascade of IR2m which was due to be done in 2026 and injecting gas into a 10-set cascade of IR5s centrifuges, are still remaining which will be done within almost two months.

The measures were adopted after the Islamic Republic’s announcement of further reduction in its commitments under the JCPOA.

In a letter to the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran will begin unlimited nuclear research and development work from Friday, officially unleashing the third stage of its measured responses to Europe’s lack of action in the face of Washington’s violation of the nuclear deal.
Zarif’s letter came after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the country will expand its nuclear research and development as of September 6, setting aside the restrictions imposed on the country’s research and development (R&D) in the JCPOA.

“We took the first step in reducing our commitments, and gave the P4+1 a two-month deadline. Then we went ahead with the second phase, giving them another two-month deadline. In the four-month period, we held negotiations with the G4+1, including the European Union and the three European countries in particular,” Rouhani said.

Iran is further scaling back its commitments under the JCPOA due to the inability of its three European signatories — the UK, France and Germany — to meet their end of the bargain.

Upon announcing his withdrawal from the JCPOA, US President Trump called it the “worst deal ever” and pledged to force Iran through sanctions into renegotiating a new agreement that addresses its ballistic missiles and regional influence.

The Trump administration has ever since targeted Iran’s industry and oil exports with various sanctions in a bid to cripple its economy.

Wary of possible penalties, Europe has failed to deliver on its pledge to save mutual trade by enacting a special payment channel that protects European firms from US sanctions months after unveiling it in January.

Fed up with the foot-dragging, Iran announced the first stage of its countermeasures in May by increasing its enriched uranium stockpile to beyond the 300-kilogram cap set by the agreement.

The Islamic Republic took the second step two months later, when it started to enrich uranium to purity rates beyond the JCPOA limit of 3.76 percent.

The post Iran activates advanced centrifuges in third nuclear deal step appeared first on Iran News Daily.

“Negotiations open with the aim of reaching an agreement; this is while we arrived at an agreement with Americans in the framework of 5+1 but US violated the deal. Hence repeating the talks is not rational. However, the window of negotiation with regional countries, neighbors and Europeans is open.”

“President’s remarks created this assumption that Iran is ready to talk with America but the Islamic Republic will hold no negotiation with US because they cannot be trusted. This stance should be clearly announced and of course President Rouhani has repeatedly declared it,” he added.

Last week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had said that key to “positive developments” is in the hands of Washington, noting that if meeting with a foreign official would lead to Iran’s development, he would not reject it. The remarks came amid President Macron’s announcement that grounds are prepared for a visit between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Rouhani.

Rouhani, who attended Parliament’s open session on Tuesday, highlighted that no talks with the United States is on the agenda.

“We’ve said it before time and again, and we say it again: We have no intention to hold bilateral talks with the United States. We never did and never will. It has been the case in the past year and a half, and even in previous years. There have been calls for talks, but we never responded to them,” he said.

“When we talk about negotiations, we only mean it under the situation where all sanctions have been lifted; that is, the situation we previously had under the JCPOA. Our stance is clear,” Rouhani stressed.

On Tuesday, lawmakers appreciated President Rouhani for his recent stance towards negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

“Your previous remarks [regarding talks with US] had worried those who care about the Islamic Establishment,” reads the statement, adding that Rouhani’s recent rejection of talks has killed all the hopes in Washington.

The post MP urges Rouhani not to speak ambiguously about Iran-US talks appeared first on Iran News Daily.

“If the Europeans do not take action to fulfill their commitments before Thursday, we will have the third step,” Zarif said.

He said that President Rouhani will announce the details of Iran’s third step to further reduce JCPOA commitments soon.

The top Iranian diplomat added that taking the third step would not mean the end of the negotiations, adding “as we also stated in the Supreme National Security Council”s statement, we will continue the negotiations and whenever the other side returns to fulfilling its obligations, then we also can stop the actions that we have taken under Article 6 [of the JCPOA].)

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Zarif arrived in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka to hold high-level talks with senior officials of South Asian country. He will depart for Indonesia as the next stop of his several-nation Asian tour he started recently.

The post Taking 3rd step to further reduce JCPOA commitments would not mean end of negotiation appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The talks, which lasted more than ten hours, discussed in detail the possible scenarios for advancing the initiative put forward by the presidents of Iran and France.

The way to meet Iran’s demands and secure its interests incorporated in the JCPOA were the focus of today’s talks, according to the website of Iranian state TV IRIB.

The two sides greed to continue their intensive work on these scenarios. They also agreed to increase their consultations with other relevant parties and to continue regular dialogues with each other at various levels.

The talks were held behind closed doors without the presence of reporters.

The post Iran, France diplomats hold 10-hour long talks in Paris appeared first on Iran News Daily.

French President Macron is leading a European effort to salvage the JCPOA after the United States unilaterally pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and imposed sanctions on Tehran. Macron has held extensive phone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and there has been exchanges of diplomats between the two countries in recent weeks. Deputy Foreign Minister Araghchi is now in Paris heading a politico-economic delegation to further discuss the situation around JCPOA.

“The visit of Mr. Araghchi and his accompanying delegation from Oil Ministry and Central Bank to Paris is aimed at discussing ways that Europeans would implement their commitments under JCPOA. As mentioned before, Iran’s oil should be bought and its revenue should be delivered to Iran,” Rabiei added.

Iran announced in May 2019 that it is reducing commitments to the JCPOA according to the paragraphs 26 and 36 of the deal, asking European countries to stop their mere verbal support and implement practical measures that would shield Iran’s economy from damages of US sanctions. Tehran has so far taken two steps in reducing commitments and the probable third one may come on Saturday. Iran says that all its measures are reversible as soon as its legal demands are met.

“If Iran is satisfied with European measures, we will not take the third step, rather, we will reconsider some issues. But Tehran will make the next step if it doesn’t feel satisfaction [with EU measures],” Rabiei highlighted.

The post Iran, France’s viewpoints drawing closer: Rabiei appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The spokesman referred to the Islamic Republic’s active diplomacy in the past weeks regarding the issue, saying that parallel with the 60-day ultimatum to the Europeans for saving the deal, Iran has been preparing itself to take the third step if necessary, and it will not hesitate to do so.

However, he said if the European countries take proper action to live up to their own obligations, Iran may cancel its decision to take the third step.

Iran’s top officials have been busy in the past weeks holding talks with European countries as well as their regional and Asian partners to find ways to salvage the deal, which has been undermined since US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in May 2018.

In a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will further reduce its commitments under the JCPOA if Europe does not abide by its obligations under the deal.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited a number of regional, European and East Asian countries in the past two weeks to talk with the country’s partners to find a way to salvage the deal.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will also depart Tehran for Paris later on Monday to hold talks with French officials regarding the issue.

Ever since announcing his departure from the deal, Trump has tried to block trade between Iranian and European companies by imposing sanctions that target a wide range of Iranian exports, including its crude oil.

The European signatories of the deal refused to follow Trump’s suit and said they would try to salvage the deal by protecting European businesses through a special payment channel, called INSTEX.

Months after unveiling the Europeans’ solution to the sanctions, Iran has yet to reap any benefits from it.

Frustrated with Europe’s lack of action, Iran announced earlier this year that it would cut back on its JCPOA commitments using the mechanisms defined in the deal if its demands are not met after a 60-day ultimatum that started in May.

As a first step, Iran increased its enriched uranium stockpile to beyond the 300 kilograms set by the JCPOA. Next, it announced that it had begun enriching uranium to purity rates beyond the JCPOA-limit of 3.76 percent.

The post Iran to firmly take third nuclear step if EU fails again: FM spox appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The multilateral nuclear deal has been in jeopardy since US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA in May last year and stepped up sanctions on the Islamic Republic in what he called ‘maximum pressure’ campaign.

Under the deal, signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany, Tehran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

Since May, Iran has introduced cuts to its nuclear commitments twice in compliance with articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA. Iran says these measures will be reversible as soon as Europe finds practical ways to shield the Iranian economy from unilateral US sanctions, which were imposed last year when Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal.

“What we have proposed to Europeans is to either buy our oil for their companies through obtaining US’s permission or if they cannot do this, provide the Islamic Republic with credit lines in proportion to the same amount of our oil sales. Our return to full JCPOA implementation is impossible without these measures,” Araghchi added in the interview.

Pointing to France’s initiative to salvage the deal in G7 summit in Biarritz, he highlighted that “the American side has shown some flexibility in issuing waivers for Iran’s oil sales.”

“This is the very split that has opened up in America’s maximum pressure policy and the very achievement that Iran is obtaining in its maximum resistance policy,” he highlighted

“There will be strenuous and complicated negotiations ahead of us for arriving at a specific formula,” to salvage the JCPOA, the deputy FM added.

The post Iran to fully implement JCPOA only if its demands are met: Araghchi appeared first on Iran News Daily.