News / Nuclear Energy

Iran's 60-day deadline won't be extended: Nuclear official

Wednesday, 19 June 2019 8:00 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 19 June 2019 8:06 AM ]

Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) (Photo by AFP)

The spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says the country will not extend the 60-day deadline it has set for the remaining signatories to a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal to honor their commitments under the accord.

"Iran's two-month deadline to the remaining parties to the JCPOA cannot be extended," Behrouz Kamalvandi told Iran's ICANA news agency on Wednesday, referring to the nuclear agreement by the acronym of its official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

He also noted that Iran has taken the second step to suspend some of its commitments under the JCPOA and would precisely follow its timetables in that regard.

The JCPOA was signed between Iran and six world states — namely the US, Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China. Washington, however, left the accord last May, leaving the future of the historic deal in limbo.

Critical of Washington’s move, the European parties to the JCPOA vowed efforts to keep the deal in place by protecting Tehran against the US sanctions, but did little in practice.

On May 8, the first anniversary of Washington’s unilateral exit from the deal Iran announced its decision to stop exporting excess uranium and heavy water for a 60-day period, during which the remaining sides would have to ensure that Iran is no more deprived of the economic benefits it was promised under the agreement.

Earlier this week, Iran announced that it will surpass the uranium stockpile limit set under the nuclear deal from June 27, adding, however, that there is still time for European countries to save the JCPOA.

PressTV-Iran to surpass uranium stockpile limit from June 27

Iran says it will surpass the uranium stockpile limit set under the nuclear deal from June 27.

"According the law that stipulates the appropriate and reciprocal measure of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in implementing the JCPOA, our move depends on the way the other JCPOA parties honor their commitments," Kamalvandi said. "It will not be possible that we fulfill our obligations and they (the remaining JCPOA parties) practically do nothing."

He also stressed that Iran was actually making a balance between its commitments and rights.

Iran would honor its commitments if the JCPOA parties recognize Tehran's rights, which require the lifting of sanctions, the nuclear official added.

"We are taking measures in a consecutive and interconnected manner and there are no conditions to go backwards," he said.

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