TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Iran will show commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal as long as Europeans fulfil their commitments.

Under the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran agreed to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions on the country.

“Iran is committed to the full implementation of the #JCPOA: as long as E3/EU implement THEIR economic commitments,” Zarif twitted.

Zarif added that Iran’s loyalty to the JCPOA will be commensurate to those of the Europeans, including the E3 - France, Germany and Britain which are signatory to the deal - and the rest of the European Union states.
  
“Iran will comply with its commitments under the JCPOA in exactly the same manner as the EU/E3 have—and will—comply with theirs. Fair enough?” Zarif insisted.

Iran announced on Sunday that its stockpile of the enriched uranium has reached beyond the 300 kilograms allowed under the agreement. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which monitors Iran’s nuclear program under the deal, confirmed in Vienna that the stockpile had surpassed the limit.

On Monday, Zarif said Iran was just exercising its right to respond to the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement and reimposition of sanctions on Iran.

Zarif also refuted claims that it was a violation of the JCPOA, referring to paragraph 36 of the JCPOA according to which a mechanism has been devised to resolve disputes when parties believe other signatories are not fulfilling their obligations. 

Zarif said as soon as the E3 honor their obligation Iran will reverse its decision.

As a retaliation against the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and reimposition of sanctions on Iran coupled with a failure by the European Union to compensate for the U.S. exit, Iran officially announced that it stops selling stockpiles of enriched uranium and heavy water for 60 days from May 8. Iran also said if a solution is not found within 60 days to protect it from the sanctions effect it will take the next steps. The deadline falls on July 7.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) had announced on June 17 that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium will exceed 300 kilograms by June 27. The atomic organization also said Iran will speed up its uranium enrichment activities beyond 3.67 percent if the other sides don’t take a practical step to shield Iran from sanctions effect.

“After surpassing 300 kilograms, we will increase the speed of producing enriched uranium above 3.67 percent,” AEOI spokesman Behrooz Kamalvandi told reporters while visiting the Arak heavy water nuclear reactor.

On Friday, the EU announced that its special financial mechanism for trade with Iran, known as INSTEX, has gone into effect. However, Iran says the mechanism is far short of Iran’s expectation. Iran insists the mechanism should include Iran’s oil purchases.

NA/PA