BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 8. Iran has never left the negotiating table, as far as talks on nuclear program of the Islamic Republic are concerned, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said, Trend reports.
He made the remark at the "21st Iranian Media National Festival" held in connection with "Journalists' Day" in Iran on August 8, 2023.
Commenting on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and sanctions against Iran, Raisi said that Iran has never violated the nuclear agreement. The president noted that currently, Iran has a stronger position, as far as lifting of sanctions go, and logically, it doesn't trust the opposite parties (the US, Germany, the UK and France).
The president explained the mistrust due to other parties 'repeatedly violating the agreements'.
Along with continuing the discussions on the nuclear program, Iran is relying on local capabilities to better withstand against sanctions, and to be fully self-sufficient in agriculture, industry and other fields.
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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