Iran urges JCPOA parties to save accord

VIENNA (Agencies): A senior Iranian diplomat has underlined the need for the remaining parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal to save the historic agreement by restoring balance between their rights and duties and keeping their side of the bargain.

Iran’s permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations Kazem Gharib-Abadi made the remarks as he addressed a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Internat-ional Atomic Energy Age-ncy (IAEA) in Vienna on Wednesday. The meeting focused on the latest report by the IAEA chief on Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA. He blamed the US’ withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), for the challenges endangering the deal.

While the root cause of the current situation is the unilateral withdrawal of the US from the deal and threatening countries, companies and banks who are willing to work with Iran with punishment, he said, “One shall not ignore the responsibility of the rema-ining parties.

They should learn the necessary lessons and build upon the past experience to offset the damage incurred and level up again the ground for further continuation of the deal.” Therefore, it is esse-ntial to restore the lost balance between the rights and responsibilities of all parties, which are enshrined in the JCPOA, he added.

The future of the JCPOA has been in limbo since the US’ unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 and Washington’s re-imposition of sanctions against Tehran. Iran gradually reduced its commitments to the accord in retaliation for the US move, but stressed that the measures were reversible upon effective implementation of reciprocal obligations by the other parties.  The Iranian diplomat took swipe at the European parties to the JCPOA for commenting that Iran’s nuclear measures carried out in retaliation of US acts are irreversible.

“Is the damage incurred on Iran due to the sanctions and the Europeans’ inaction reversible?” he said, adding, “Are they ready to make up for billions of Euros in loss which Iran has sustained in different sectors and are the outcomes of the US administration’s illegal measures?” 

Gharib-abadi also pointed to the “inhuman” sanctions imposed on the country by the US, saying the bans have “directly targeted the lives of the ordinary people, including by preventing provision of medicine to the people in need.”

“Imposition of restrictions or sanctions of any kind on the provision of medicines, especially in this critical situation when the whole world, including Iran, is encountering coronavirus, is a clear violation of the right to health and the right to life,” he noted.

He, however, said Iran’s approach in the past four years is “clear evidence of its determination to implement the commitments under the deal.