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Iran, France discuss nuclear deal, supply of Iranian oil

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Tehran and Paris hold talks regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear deal and the supply of Iranian oil, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said during Monday’s briefing.

"In the past weeks, [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron has held several phone calls with [Iranian] President [Hassan] Rouhani on the ways Europeans can adhere to the JCPOA. There are 11 obligations, so far, we have focused on two," Zarif said. "These two obligations concern the sale of Iranian oil and the return of proceeds related to its sale."

The diplomat noted that the talks between Tehran and Paris deal with Iranian oil and the revenue Iran could get from its supply.

The Iranian top diplomat also deemed Macron’s Iran initiative an effort by Europeans to implement their obligations. "Our friends in Russia and China know that this plan does not mean reviewing the JCPOA. The JCPOA is not an Iranian agreement that we can make changes to," Zarif said. "This agreement is enforced by a resolution of the UN Security Council, which is why it is necessary to hold 5+1 talks (five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany - TASS), or at least 4+1 talks (Russia, the UK, Germany, China and France - TASS) to discuss this."

Due to US restrictions, Iranian hydrocarbons export has decreased 3 times, dropping to 800 thousand barrels a day. In 2018, Iran exported 2.6 mln barrels a day. According to the International Energy Agency, in May 2019, oil production in Iran was at its lowest level since the 1980s.