TEHRAN - Majid Takht Ravanchi, Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, has said that Iran will give a proper response to the U.S. sanctions moves.

In an interview with IRNA published on Saturday, he described the U.S. actions against Iran as “illegal” and “contrary to international law”.

He criticized Europe’s performance in preserving the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

“We cannot just rely on Europe’s political support. They [the Europeans] should practically make up for harms caused by the U.S.,” he said.

He added, “We have told the Europeans about this. It may be too late if the Europeans delay (their actions) much.”

U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the nuclear deal in May 2018 and ordered reimposition of sanctions against Iran. The first round of sanctions went into force on August 6 and the second round, which targets Iran’s oil exports and banks, were snapped back on November 4.

Also, on April 22 the U.S. announced that Washington has decided not to extend waivers allowing major importers to continue buying oil from Iran. The waivers ended on May 2.

On January 31, France, Germany and Britain announced the creation of INSTEX, a special purpose vehicle aimed at facilitating legitimate trade between European economic operators and Iran. 

During a meeting with a group of Austrian MPs in Tehran on April 29, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi criticized European delay in implementing its special mechanism to save the JCPOA.

Iran has given enough time to Europe to make up for consequences of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, Araqchi said.

Araqchi said Iran’s patience is not limitless and will give a proper response to the U.S. illegal actions soon.

“The Islamic Republic’s patience is not limitless and will give proper response to the U.S. illegal actions soon by comprehensive assessment of the current situation and without emotional reactions.” 

Araqchi added, “We welcome political position of the European Union, but political support will be no help to keeping the JCPOA. The JCPOA is not an economic agreement and has security nature. If it matters to Europe, it should also pay the costs to keep it.” 

Araqchi and Takht Ravanchi acted as a senior nuclear negotiators with the 5+1 group and the European Union.

Elsewhere, he noted that Iran will not allow any country to become an alternate to Iran in the oil market.

Speaking at the 9th round of Iran-Norway political consultations on April 30, Araqchi said the international community has not responded properly to the U.S. illegal act in withdrawing from the JCPOA.

“The U.S. proved that it does not understand language of respect and interaction and can just talk with language of bullying,” he said.

NA/PA