Disagreement with Iran not beneficial to European troika: Nuclear chief

Iran's nuclear chief has advised European countries not to follow suit with US President Donald Trump’s position on multilateral 2015 nuclear deal, warning that disagreement with Iran will not be beneficial to European countries.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi made the remarks in a meeting with former British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, in Tehran on Tuesday, reminding Straw of the first round of nuclear talks between Iran and the European troika, including the UK, France, and Germany.

“In view of your experiences of the first round of nuclear talks between three European countries and Iran, you are well aware that lack of agreement with Iran, as was the case in the past, will certainly not benefit you,” Salehi added.

He said Trump's mental instability has created many problems, adding that the Islamic Republic would take necessary steps in line with its interests if the US president decides to withdraw from the nuclear accord, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

The US president delivered an anti-Iran speech on October 13, in which he said he would not continue to certify Iran’s compliance with the terms of the JCPOA, a central foreign policy achievement of his predecessor, Barack Obama, and warned that he might ultimately terminate the agreement.

The next deadline for Trump to waive nuclear-related sanctions falls on Friday.

EA