Era of Gunboat Diplomacy Is Over: Iranian Nuclear Official

In a Sunday meeting at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, AEOI Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi and the UK’s Foreign Office Minister Andrew Murrison discussed the latest developments surrounding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as well as the international issues.

In the gathering, held at the request of the visiting British minister, the Iranian official called on the parties to the nuclear deal to honor their commitments.

Kamalvandi also highlighted Iran’s resolve to carry out a series of measures in accordance with the Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA, noting that the Islamic Republic will continue to enrich uranium according to what has been declared by the president and the Supreme National Security Council.

In response to Murrison who called on Iran to show self-restraint and save the nuclear deal and also described the JCPOA violation as threatening, Kamalvandi said, “Such threats and maximum pressures imposed by the US are doomed to failure.”

“The era of gunboat diplomacy is over,” the Iranian official noted, saying Americans must have learnt from the recent weeks’ upheavals that their destructive policies have not only not led to the desirable results, but also escalated the tensions.

Murrison has visited Tehran to discuss “urgent de-escalation” of regional tensions during “constructive” and “transparent” talks with top Iranian officials.

Earlier, the UK Foreign Office had announced the trip, saying that “the UK has an ongoing diplomatic dialogue with Iran.”

In announcing May 8 that it would no longer observe several limitations on its nuclear program, Iranian officials have decided to confront the “maximum pressure” campaign initially by beginning a “soft” diplomatic step based on articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA.

Iran’s hope is that the remaining members of the deal, especially the European countries, take the matter seriously and find a viable means of trading with Iran. If this doesn’t happen, Iran will take the second step including enriching uranium beyond 3.6 percent and redesigning the Arak heavy water nuclear plant, which can produce plutonium, another potential fuel for nuclear weapons.