While reactions are coming from all sides regarding Iran's announcement to withdraw from certain obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the European Union remained silent on Wednesday 8 May.
One year to the day after the announcement of the US withdrawal from the agreement, Iranian President Hassan Rohani and the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) announced that his country was ending, “as from today, 8 May 2019”, certain measures taken under the nuclear agreement to “protect the security and national interests of the people of Iran”.
As a result, Iran is no longer committed to respecting the limits for the conservation of enriched uranium and heavy water reserves. The agreement limits uranium reserves to 300 kg and heavy water reserves to 130 tonnes.
And Tehran is issuing a 60-day ultimatum to the courts party to the agreement – the EU, Germany, France, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia – to fulfil their obligations, “especially in banking and oil fields”.
“If they fail to meet Iran’s demands in the time given, then the Islamic Republic of Iran will suspend compliance with the uranium enrichment limits and measures to modernise the Arak Heavy Water Reactor”, the SNSC and Mr Rohani warned.
As part of the agreement, Iran undertook not to enrich uranium to more than 3.67%.
Conversely, as soon as the requests are met, Iran will resume the suspended commitments. “[Otherwise], the Islamic Republic of Iran will suspend the implementation of other obligations step by step”, added the Iranians, who said they were ready to discuss with members of the ‘E3+2’ group.
“The window that is now open to diplomacy will not remain open for a long time, and the United States and the remaining members will be fully responsible for the failure of the JCPOA and any possible consequences”, they threatened.
Numerous calls for compliance with the agreement
As we were going to press, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, who has consistently called on Iran to maintain its commitments, had not spoken out.
“We are in an analysis phase”, explained one senior European official questioned about the Iranian decision. The subject could be discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 13 May.
The E3+2 members were more severe. For example, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, considered that by derogating from some of its commitments, Iran “would be exposed to new sanctions”, while the British Foreign Minister, Jeremy Hunt, referred to “consequences”.
“Our message is, and remains, clear: our partners respect and we respect the nuclear agreement. And we do it without compromise. That is why we expect Iran to implement the agreement in full and without compromise”, warned German diplomatic chief, Heiko Maas.
China has also called for full implementation of the Iranian nuclear agreement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, said, “The United States is to blame for the situation”. And he added: “This makes it difficult for Iran to fulfil its obligations” and undermines the overall state of the nuclear non-proliferation regime.
When questioned by EUROPE, the US Ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, said that “Iran's expected potential failure in relation to the JCPOA was widely expected. I don't think it's news”, he added. According to him, the Iranians had already violated the spirit of the agreement since its signature, because the spirit was to encourage Iran to join a community of nations, and to act as a “normal country”, which it did not do. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)