BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 30. The European Union has practically failed to fulfill its obligations in the comprehensive plan of joint actions regarding Iran's nuclear program, the country’s spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Esmail Baghaei told reporters, Trend reports.
According to him, Iran's nuclear program has an absolutely peaceful purpose. The European Union, following the US withdrawal from the Comprehensive Joint Plan of Action (JCPOA), has not manifested due will to protect the nuclear agreement, in which it is one of the key parties.
Baghaei stated that the EU should pursue a genuine policy based on justice, respecting the UN Charter and international law.
To note, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas asserted that EU foreign ministers will soon hold an in-depth discussion on Iran and Europe's policy towards Iran, noting that Iran's nuclear program is one of the world community's growing concerns over the past few years.
To recall, on January 16, 2016, the JCPOA came into force between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany) regarding Iran’s nuclear program. However, on May 8, 2018, the US withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions on Iran starting from November 2018.
By the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to pursue a strategic plan in the nuclear sector to counter the sanctions, leading to a suspension of additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement.
Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 20–30 percent.