Iran Press/ Europe: The European Union (EU) on Thursday reiterated its commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and emphasized its support for the nuclear deal in the current critical situation.
The statement also stressed the need to continue working with the international community to maintain JCPOA and ensure its full implementation.
In this regard, Iran had previously warned the European sides of JCPOA over their commitment to obligations and lifting sanctions, as the European Union is now "deeply concerned" about Iran's decision to suspend the Additional Protocol.
The EU statement said: "If this decision is not changed, it will fundamentally limit the International Atomic Energy Agency's ability to verify Iran's nuclear activities and materials."
According to the statement, the Agency will have limited access to information on Iran's key facilities and a significant portion of information related to Iran's nuclear fuel cycle activities.
The EU also referred to the bilateral technical agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran, which, according to IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, will reduce access of inspectors and allow for monitoring and verification activities for up to three months.
Iran and the IAEA agreed last Sunday to suspend the implementation of the Additional Protocol and the access provided by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Iran altogether, and only Iran's safeguard obligations will be implemented; meanwhile, according to the law of the Iranian Parliament, no extra-supervisory access will be granted to the Agency and no extra-supervisory inspection will be performed.
Following the unilateral and illegal withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA on (May 8, 2018), Iran tried to maintain the nuclear agreement, provided that the other parties to the agreement complied with their commitments, but the Europeans did not succeed in the practical measures to maintain the agreement.
In this regard, on May 8, 2019, on the anniversary of the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that Iran will gradually reduce its JCPOA obligations under Articles 26 and 36 of this agreement to balance its obligations with the received rights.
On February 23, the Islamic Republic of Iran suspended its voluntary actions under the JCPOA within the framework of “Strategic Action Plan to Lift Sanctions and Protect Iranian Nation’s Interests”.
According to paragraphs 26 and 36 of the JCPOA, Iran has the right to suspend its obligations, in whole or in part, if the other party fails to comply with its obligations. 219
