MOSCOW, November 20. /TASS/. Iran does not rule out it may withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in case EU countries fail to fulfill their liabilities, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanai said on Tuesday.
"Should Iran see that other signatory nations to the JCPOA don’t fulfil their obligations, Iran may take to other scenarios, other possibilities," he said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel. "So far, no final decision has been taken but various scenarios can be discussed. So, I think other signatories to the deal, first of all the European side, bear great responsibility now."
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the deal on Iran’s nuclear program, was signed between Iran and six international mediators (the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia, the United States, and France) on July 14, 2015. On January 16, 2016, the parties to the deal announced beginning of its implementation. Under the deal, Iran undertakes to curb its nuclear activities and place them under total control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in exchange of abandonment of the sanctions imposed previously by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and the United States over its nuclear program.
In May 2018, US President Donald Trump announced Washington’s decision to withdraw from the deal, saying it leaves Iran a possibility to create a nuclear bomb bypassing all the restrictions. He warned the United States would reinstate its old anti-Iranian sanctions and would imposed new ones. The first round of sanctions covering Iran’s automotive sector and trade in gold and metals was re-imposed in early August. Further sanctions came into effect from November 5 and cover Iran’s oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies and individuals.
Other signatories to the JCPOA - Russia, China, France, Germany and the United Kingdom - have reiterated their commitment to the deal.