TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that there will be no talks on any new deal before compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“No new deal before compliance with the current one,” Zarif wrote on his Twitter account. 

Zarif’s tweet came as a response to a joint statement by leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Monday in which they said, “The time has come for Iran to accept negotiation on a long-term framework for its nuclear program as well as on issues related to regional security, including its missiles program and other means of delivery.” 

In their statement, the three European countries also backed the United States in blaming Iran for the September 14 attacks on the Saudi oil facilities.

The statement says, “It is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation. We support ongoing investigations to establish further details.”

Zarif also said inability by the European Union trio – also called E3 – to fulfill their obligation under the JCPOA has become clear to Iran since the Trump administration abandoned the deal on May 8, 2018. 

“E3’s paralysis in fulfilling their obligations without U.S. permission has been clear since May 2018.”

The chief diplomat suggested that the remedy to this inaction is that Europe follow an independent policy rather than “parroting absurd U.S. claims” against Iran which go against the JCPOA.

“Solution to this deficiency: mustering will to forge independent path—not parroting absurd US claims & requests INCONSISTENT with JCPOA,” Zarif insisted in his tweet.

NA/PA