Alwaght- Iran is implementing a "step-by-step" withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a senior Iranian diplomat said.
"We have not left the JCPOA so far, but we have put such a move on our agenda and that would happen step-by-step," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said in an interview with IRIB Channel 2 on Wednesday night.
"No country can accuse Iran of breaching or leaving the nuclear deal," the diplomat noted, adding that all the measures Tehran has adopted so far, including Wednesday's move, has been within the deal's framework.
The ambassadors of the countries remaining in the nuclear deal — France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China — on Wednesday received a letter penned by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani elaborating the suspension of some of Iran's commitments under the accord, officially called the JCPOA.
The letter was handed over by Araqchi to the ambassadors of the five countries, who had been invited to the Foreign Ministry. The document specifies the details of the decision taken by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which is chaired by Rouhani himself.
The document says Tehran has exercised utmost self-restraint and patience since Washington's exit from the deal last May, and has given the remaining signatories “considerable” time at their own request to compensate for Washington’s withdrawal and guarantee Iran’s interests.
Nevertheless, the other parties have failed to adopt any “practical measures” to blunt the impact of the economic sanctions that were re-imposed against Tehran by the US following its withdrawal, the statement said.
Earlier Wednesday, President Rouhani announced in a live speech on Wednesday that Iran was scaling back certain curbs to its nuclear program, announcing steps that would not violate its 2015 deal with the world powers.
He said Europe had succeeded in promoting the deal in word, but had fallen short of putting its words into action, especially in the area of economy.
The president further reminded Europe of Iran’s crucial role in ensuring security in the region, from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean and from the Caspian to the Red Sea. Iran, he added, helped stop the spread of terrorism to Europe and contained the influx of refugees into the continent.
This cooperation will cease to exist if the situation continues as it is, he warned.
The JCPOA was signed before US President Donald Trump took office. Under the deal, Iran agreed to limits on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions.
