Zarif Hits Back at E3’s Statement on Iran’s Uranium Metal Production

“Have our E3 partners ever read paragraph 36 of JCPOA and Iran’s many letters on that basis?” Zarif tweeted on Friday evening.

“By what logic is the onus on IRAN to stop its remedial measures undertaken a full year after the US withdrew from — and continues to violate — the JCPOA?”

“What have E3 done to fulfill their duties?” the Iranian foreign minister asked.

His comments came in reaction to a statement by France, Germany and Britain in which they condemned Iran’s decision to produce uranium metal, which they said was in breach of commitments made by Tehran to the international community.

“We strongly urge Iran to halt these activities without delay and not to take any new non-compliant steps on its nuclear programme. In escalating its non-compliance, Iran is undermining the opportunity for renewed diplomacy to fully realise the objectives of the JCPoA,” said the three European states, which are also referred to as the E3.

Tehran has stopped implementing its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, also known by the acronym JCPOA, after the United States withdrew from the deal in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran.