Following suit with US on nuclear deal humiliating for Europe: Salehi

Iran's nuclear chief says it would be humiliating for Europe to follow suit with the US policy on the nuclear deal with Iran, which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Ali Akbar Salehi, who heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the IRIB on Sunday, when he was asked about the possible reaction of the European countries in case US President Donald Trump decides to quit the nuclear accord with Iran.

“This is a very complicated question in political terms and needs extensive analysis…. Suffice to say that it will be politically derogatory for Europe to follow the US policy on the JCPOA” unquestioningly, because it proves that European countries lack independence in their decision-making process, he said.

Salehi added that the main responsibility of the AEOI is to make preparations to deal with this scenario, adding that the organization has already got ready in this regard in all related fields.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran once again warned Europeans against following in Washington's footsteps on the landmark nuclear deal, saying, "This means that Europe is not an independent body and is a satellite in the US political orbit."
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Thursday that Washington would probably get out of the Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

US President Donald Trump on January 12 once again threatened to withdraw from the nuclear deal if some "disastrous flaws" were not fixed.

Trump said he wanted America's European allies to use the 120-day period before sanctions relief again came up for renewal to agree to tougher measures and new conditions, otherwise Washington would pull out of the deal.

In response to a question about the possibility of a US move to re-impose sanctions on Tehran, Salehi said Iran "has necessary readiness to start enriching uranium to the 20-percent level at its Fordow facility within four days."

He said Iran plans to unveil 83 new nuclear achievements on Monday on the occasion of national Nuclear Technology Day in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani.

Ali Akbar Salehi added that such achievements include projects in the fields of industry, exploration and extraction as well as centrifuge research.

"These projects have been implemented despite restrictions thanks to efforts made by experts of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran," he said.

Iran’s nuclear chief emphasized that the AEOI is constantly monitoring developments in the nuclear technology sector and noted that Iranian experts have been very successful in making attempts to narrow the gap between Iran and developed countries.

EA