Tehran has pushed back against fresh threats of sanctions from Britain, France, and Germany, accusing the three European powers of failing to uphold their end of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
The landmark deal, signed with the UN Security Council’s five permanent members along with Germany, had placed strict limitations on Iran’s nuclear programme in return for easing international sanctions.
However, the agreement began to unravel after the United States, under then-President Donald Trump, unilaterally exited the accord in 2018 and reinstated severe economic sanctions.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baqaei, criticised the European signatories for their alleged negligence.
“The European parties have been at fault and negligent in implementing” the agreement, he said during a press briefing.
Although the EU nations initially pledged to keep the agreement alive, their efforts to shield Iran from US sanctions through a financial workaround failed to take hold, prompting many European businesses to exit the Iranian market. This contributed to worsening economic conditions in the country.
Meanwhile, concerns persist over Iran’s nuclear activity. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapons state enriching uranium up to 60 per cent, significantly above the 3.67 per cent threshold set in the 2015 deal and just short of weapons-grade levels.
In response to recent threats by France, the UK, and Germany to activate a UN mechanism that would reimpose sanctions, Baqaei condemned the move.
“Using this clause is meaningless, unjustifiable and immoral,” he said, asserting that Tehran’s withdrawal from some of its commitments was triggered by the West’s own failure to comply.
“Iran’s reduction of its commitments was carried out in accordance with the provisions outlined in the agreement,” Baqaei insisted.