TEHRAN – Hojjatoleslam Kazem Seddiqi, the interim Friday prayer leader of Tehran, says authorities unanimously agree on reducing Iran’s commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“The two-month deadline has ended, and today, by the grace of God, all authorities are unanimous on reduction of commitments,” Kazem Seddiqi told worshippers in Tehran on Friday.

He described the JCPOA as a fruitless deal and criticized Europeans for being obedient to the U.S. in revoking the JCPOA and imposed sanctions on Iran. 

“After a year (since the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA), not only the Europeans have failed to fulfill their obligations but also they have in practice become obedient to the U.S.,” he remarked.

Invoking the remarks made by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that “if they tear up the JCPOA, we will set it on fire”, the cleric said that “it was not necessary to give a 60-day ultimatum to the Europeans.”

“It does not make sense to remain unilaterally committed to a multilateral deal,” he said. “According to paragraphs 26 and 36 of the JCPOA, each of the parties is allowed to reduce commitments due to other parties’ lack of commitment.”

MH/PA