Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Thursday that the European Union member states should uphold obligations under the Iranian nuclear deal and improve economic ties with Tehran, Trend reports citing Sputnik.
Earlier in the day, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the European Union will be committed to the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal signed with Iran in 2015, as long as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms Tehran's compliance with the accord.
"EU statement today is why JCPOA is where it is: the US has bullied Europe—and rest of world—for a year and EU can only express "regret", Zarif tweeted.
One year after US abrupt withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran said on Wednesday that it had partially discontinued its commitments under the landmark accord and gave Europe 60 days to ensure Iran's interests were protected under the agreement. Paris expressed concern over Tehran's statements about its intention to stop fulfilling a number of obligations under the JCPOA.
Iranian authorities said that these measures were taken in response to violations of the JCPOA by Washington, reintroduction of sanctions, as well as by inability of the remaining signatories to the nuclear deal, namely Germany, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia, to adequately address the situation.