BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 12. Iran and the US do not intend to renew the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under the current circumstances, a former member of Iranian parliament Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said, Trend reports.
“In the indirect discussions between Iran and the US initiated by third countries, it can be verbally stated that Iran should not enrich uranium to a level higher than 60 percent, and in return, minimum opportunities should be created for Iran,” he said.
The ex-MP added that currently, the most important issue for the US is the release of four US citizens detained in Iran.
According to Falahatpisheh, it can be said that a verbal agreement was reached in indirect discussions between Iran and the US. He added that since currently Iran is not a priority in the US foreign policy, so it intends to maintain relations with the Islamic Republic considering its own benefits (sanctions remain in force, Iranian banks remain restrained, difficulties with oil exports remain).
"Meanwhile, the final blow to the JCPOA will be dealt by European countries (the UK, France and Germany). European countries are trying to keep in force the sanctions on the trade of conventional weapons applied against Iran. So, on October 18, 2023, the sanctions on conventional weapons trade against Iran should be canceled after eight years. If the European countries restore these sanctions again, relations between Iran and Europe may become tense," he said.
On January 2016, Iran's nuclear program triggered the creation of JCPOA between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany). In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 and a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed.
On May 8, 2019, Iran announced ceasing to fulfill its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal.
On September 5 of the same year, Iran announced its commitment to enrich uranium, using next-generation centrifuges and not to mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA. On November 5, 2019, Iran announced to have taking the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.
On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA.
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