Iran Slams ‘Hypocritical’ European Stance

Date: 10 December 2024 - 21:53

News ID: ۱۳۴۵۴۹

NEW YORK (Dispatches) -- Iran on Tuesday rejected Western allegations of non-compliance with its JCPOA commitments as “disingenuous and hypocritical,” urging the European parties to the 2015 nuclear accord to abandon their campaign of pressure against Iran and make real efforts to revive the deal.
In a letter to the UN Security Council and UN Chief Antonio Guterres, Iran’s UN envoy Amir-Saeid Iravani responded to a joint statement by France, Germany, and the UK that accused Iran of failing to honor its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal and UNSC Resolution 2231, urging the country to halt what they termed as “nuclear escalation.”
The European statement came after a report by the UN nuclear agency indicating that Tehran had stepped up uranium enrichment activity, fulfilling its pledge to respond to a Western-sponsored censure resolution criticizing the country for what was described as a lack of cooperation with the IAEA.
Iran has reduced its commitments under the JCPOA over the past years following the re-imposition of sanctions lifted under the accord and the failure of European parties to compensate for the losses incurred by Iran.
Iravani’s statement asserted that the E3 claims ignore the context of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and the subsequent failure of the E3 to fulfill their commitments.
It stated that Iran has made significant efforts to salvage the accord despite these challenges.
“Any allegation regarding Iran’s implementation of its JCPOA commitments is fundamentally flawed when divorced from the full context of the U.S. withdrawal. Such a claim ignores Iran’s sustained efforts to uphold the deal despite persistent provocations and violations by the U.S. and E3/EU, rendering it arbitrary and devoid of substantive validity.”
The statement emphasized that the root cause of the situation stems from the U.S. withdrawal from the deal and the failure of the E3 to fulfill their own commitments.
“The E3, while claiming to uphold their commitments, has failed to take effective measures to mitigate the effects of these unlawful sanctions and ensure Iran’s ability to enjoy the benefits guaranteed under the agreement.”
The statement asserted that Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been consistent and transparent, countering claims of non-compliance.
“To date, Iran remains subject to the most rigorous verification and monitoring measures ever implemented by the Agency,” it said, adding that Iran’s remedial measures were reversible and directly tied to the JCPOA’s principle of reciprocity.
“It is, therefore, disingenuous and hypocritical for the E3 to cite Iran’s ‘non-compliance’ while ignoring their own failures to uphold their obligations under the agreement,” Iravani wrote.
The statement reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and warned against threats of invoking “snapback” sanctions, which it views as counterproductive.
“Iran will never compromise its legitimate and inalienable rights under the Treaty. Consequently, any threats to invoke the so-called ‘snapback’ are counterproductive and will provoke a firm response from Iran.”
The letter urged the E3 to engage in genuine diplomacy and mutual respect to rebuild trust and resolve current tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.
“Iran remains committed to engaging in good faith and exploring all avenues of diplomacy to address shared challenges,” it said.
“However, the E3 must recognize that meaningful diplomacy demands genuine reciprocity and respect for established commitments. We urge the E3 to abandon their ineffective and failed policy of pressure and confrontation. Instead, they should embrace diplomacy and focus on rebuilding the trust essential to resolving the current impasse.”