TEHRAN – Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday that his country is ready to return to pre-modification of the nuclear deal’s obligations if the oil and banking sanctions on Tehran are lifted. 

Talking to reporters in Moscow, Araqchi said, “Iran is ready to return to pre-modification of undertakings under the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) if sanctions imposed on Tehran during this period are lifted.”

“Our priorities are removal of oil and banking sanctions on Iran,” Araqchi said on the sidelines of the International Non-proliferation Treaty Conference in Moscow. 

He further said, “Iran’s conditions, which once were explained by President Hassan Rouhani, are completely clear.”

“If the banking and oil sanctions are lifted it will be possible for us to resume talks about perfect implementation of the JCPOA,” Araqchi explained. 

“As long as Iran’s demands are not materialized, reduction of obligations under the deal will continue,” he reiterated. 

Araqchi said on Friday that maintaining his country’s interests is more important than saving “an “agreement”, meaning the 2015 nuclear deal.

“No country is uncertain about Iran’s goodwill in saving the JCPOA … however no one should have any doubt that if Iran cannot reap the JCPOA benefits, it will continue scaling down commitments,” the senior diplomat underscored.

Despite the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, Tehran remained fully compliant with the international document for a whole year, giving time to the remaining co-signatories to fulfill their legal undertakings and protect Iran’s economy against the reinstated U.S. bans.

Iran, however, began to gradually reduce its JCPOA commitments after the European Union, especially its big three – Germany, France, and Britain – which are signatory to the agreement, failed to put their verbal support for the deal into action. 

The reciprocal measures are in compliance with Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA.

MJ/PA