FM warns Europe of Iran's reciprocal acts against disloyalty to nuclear deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that the 2015 nuclear deal requires Europe to normalize economic ties with Iran, warning that Tehran will reciprocally ignore its undertakings in case of EU's defiance of its commitments.

"The Europeans, as members of the nuclear deal and based on the (UNSC) Resolution 2231, are responsible to normalize economic relations with Iran and they should account for the degree they have been committed to this normalization," Zarif told reporters in Tehran on Sunday.

He added that results and not measures are important in the nuclear deal, noting, "They should say what results their measures have produced and if they claim to have made efforts which have failed to end up in results, then, we can also make efforts without any results being produced from now on."

He further noted Iran's 60-day deadline for the EU to provide Tehran with the merits promised under the deal, and ensured that the two modifications Iran has warned to do after the deadline will be pursued by more measures.

"We have declared our plan and said which actions will be taken in the first and second 60-day periods," Zarif stated.

The minister, meantime, said if the EU complies with its undertakings under the deal within the said period, Tehran would either "cease" or "delay" its promised moves.

Asked about certain European countries' criticism of Iran's policies, Zarif said, "The Europeans are not in a position to criticize Iran even in those areas which are not related to the nuclear deal. Europe and the West's policies have produced no result, but damage, in our region."

He also blasted continued sales of weapons by the western states to Saudi Arabia, which are used to bomb the regional states, specially Yemen.

Washington unilaterally withdrew from the internationally-endorsed 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, re-imposed the toughest-ever sanctions against the country and started a plan to zero down Tehran's oil sales.

Under the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and P5+1 group of countries in July 2015, Tehran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

In 2018, all the other signatories — Russia, China, Germany, France, the UK, and the EU — refused to follow the US example and confirmed their commitment to the accord, trying to save the deal with the Islamic Republic.

Iranian officials then warned that the European Union’s failure in providing the needed ground for Tehran to enjoy the economic benefits of the nuclear deal would exhaust the country's patience.

Yet, Iran continued compliance with deal, stressing that the remaining signatories to the agreement had to work to offset the negative impacts of the US pullout for Iran if they want Tehran to remain in compliance.

Europeans' honesty in dealing with the Iran nuclear deal has always been seriously doubted by Iranian masses that were discontent with talks with European states. Almost a year later, however, the EU failed to provide Tehran with its promised merits.

EA