BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 7. Diplomacy is the best way to solve problems related to Iran's nuclear program, Nasser Kanaani, Spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at a press briefing in Tehran on August 7, 2023, Trend reports.
The spokesman emphasized that Iran sees diplomacy as an open and promising path for discussions on its nuclear program.
He also added that Iran has never left the discussions and will continue discussion until Iran's national interests are satisfied.
At the same time, Iran considers the lifting of sanctions against the country as a strategic policy, Kanaani said.
According to him, the development of Iran's economy and foreign relations does not depend on the discussions on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
On January 16, 2016, Iran's nuclear program precipitated the establishment of the JCPOA between Iran and the P5+1 group (the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany). The US announced its departure from the agreement in May 2018 and implemented sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To sustain the agreements established as part of the JCPOA, European signatories began in January 2019, and INSTEX, a financial vehicle for continuing trade with Iran, was formed.
On May 8, 2019, Iran announced that it will no longer meet its duties under the pact to sell more than 300 kilograms of uranium, citing the failure of other signatories to do so.
On July 7, Iran announced that it would 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 mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in the JCPOA.
On November 5, 2019, Iran announced that it had taken 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 January 5, 2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within the JCPOA.
On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal 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 against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
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