SAEDNEWS: The Iranian foreign minister warned the European troika that triggering the so-called snapback provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal will complicate matters further, end the EU3’s role in the talks on Iran’s nuclear program, and do irreparable damages to diplomatic relations.
In remarks at a meeting with the foreign ambassadors to Tehran on Saturday, Abbas Araqchi mocked Europe’s mistaken belief that using the snapback mechanism of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a tool would empower them to play a role.
If the European troika opts to initiate the snapback mechanism, the settlement of issues on Iran’s nuclear program will become more complicated and the negotiations and diplomacy will become more difficult, he warned.
Araqchi added that triggering snapback will translate into an end to Europe’s role in the talks on Iran’s nuclear program, warning that such a move will mark the “darkest point in the history of relations between Iran and the three European states” and have an irreparable impact.
“We hope they (EU3) would return to diplomacy. There is no other way than negotiations,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
Araqchi further reiterated that any nuclear deal with Iran must respect Tehran’s right to enrichment.
He made it clear that Iran will by no means back off from enrichment, since much sacrifices have been made and a war of aggression has been imposed on Iran for the sake of enrichment activities.
“Should negotiations shape, the subject of talks will be the nuclear issue alone in exchange for the removal of sanctions. No other subject will be discussed in the talks,” Araqchi underlined.
Highlighting the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities, the foreign minister said Iran will remain a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and remain committed to the Safeguards Agreement as well.
He stated that Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency has not come to a halt, but has taken a new form.
Araqchi explained that according to a new parliamentary law, Iran’s cooperation with the UN nuclear agency will be managed by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
The IAEA’s requests for interaction with Tehran will be considered by the Supreme National Security Council on a case by case basis and subsequent decisions will be made, he added.
Iran is not satisfied with the IAEA’s performance, because its director general’s report resulted in a political resolution against Iran that provided a pretext for military strikes on the Iranian nuclear facilities, Araqchi stated.
While the Zionist regime waged a war of aggression against Iran on June 13 and struck Iran’s military, nuclear and residential areas for 12 days, the US stepped in and conducted military attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran’s Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan on June 22.
The Iranian military forces conducted powerful counterattacks immediately after the aggression. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force carried out 22 waves of retaliatory missile strikes against the Zionist regime as part of Operation True Promise III that inflicted heavy losses on cities across the occupied territories.
Also, in response to the US attacks, Iranian armed forces launched a wave of missiles at al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia.
A ceasefire that came into force on June 24 brought the fighting to a halt.
