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Iran officially suspends execution of part of its obligations under nuclear deal

The source noted that Tehran may renew work on uranium enrichment and stop the updating of the heavy water reactor in Arak

MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. Iran officially suspended the execution of part of its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on May 15, Iranian news agency ISNA reported on Wednesday, citing a representative for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

The Supreme National Security Council of Iran made this decision, according to the source. "The society will be informed on the undertaken steps in the next several days; we will also declare our plans on providing access to mass media representatives to sites in Arak and Natanz," ISNA quoted him as saying.

The source noted that Tehran, as it had previously warned, may renew work on uranium enrichment and stop the updating of the heavy water reactor in Arak if the participants to the deal fail to fulfil their obligations under the deal within 60 days.

On May 8, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani declared the suspension of the execution of Iran's obligations under two items of the JCPOA that concern the necessity to sell a surplus of uranium to other countries if its volume exceeds 300 kg and heavy water. Tehran demands that the European participants follow the terms of the deal regarding the protection of Iran’s interests, in particular in issues related to the banking sector and oil trade.

The JCPOA was signed in 2015 by Iran on the one hand and the permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany on the other hand. However, on May 8, 2018, the US withdrew from the deal. It stipulates the rebuilding of a reactor in Arak for nuclear research for peaceful purposes and the observation of the limits of uranium enrichment of not more than 3.67%. In exchange, the UN Security Council’s sanctions and the unilateral restrictive measures launched by the US and the EU were lifted from Tehran.