IAEA: Iran complying with 2015 nuclear deal

EU says stepping up efforts to save JCPOA

TEHRAN(defapress)- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) once again reaffirmed Iran's full compliance with its commitments under the 2015 landmark nuclear deal.

News ID: 73621

Date: 11 November 2018 - 11:14

In a statement to the 73rd Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said Iran “is implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It is essential that Iran continues to fully implement those commitments.”

“The agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran continue,” Amano added.

Under the nuclear deal reached between Iran and six world powers – the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia – in 2015, Iran agreed to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

US President Donald Trump, however, withdrew Washington in May from the landmark agreement, and reimposed unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Other signatories to the JCPOA have slammed Washington's decision to abandon the agreement, which has also been endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution, saying they will work to keep the accord alive.

The Trump administration, however, restored “toughest” sanctions ever against Iran on Monday.

The IAEA has said that Iran has stayed within the limits set in the nuclear deal on its enriched uranium level, its stock of enriched uranium and other items.

The UN nuclear agency said Tehran continued to provide it with the necessary access for inspections aimed at verifying Tehran's commitment to the nuclear deal.

EU ramps up support

The European Union said it has stepped up efforts to preserve the JCPOA.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, EU spokeswoman for foreign affairs Maja Kocijancic said the bloc had increased its efforts towards the enactment of mechanisms, including the so-called Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), to bypass the US sanctions and discard the dollar in dealings with Iran.

“The efforts to preserve the Iran nuclear deal and economic and trade relations with Iran have intensified in recent weeks, especially those that are related to the setting up of the special purpose vehicle,” Kocijancic said.

The special purpose vehicle the EU is developing is aimed at helping companies avoid the US sanctions and continue doing business with Iran.

Kocijancic referred to the “blocking statute, which was updated in August” as “one of the key measures” taken by the Europeans to facilitate trade with Tehran.

A blocking statute is a law enacted in 1996 to protect European entities 'against the effects of the extra-territorial application of legislation adopted by a third country.'

The law went into effect on August 6, when the first set of US sanctions against Iran took effect. The statute would allow firms to recover damages from American measures and nullify any court ruling against them.

“This is one of the measures that have been put in place, but it’s the one that’s very relevant for companies because from our point of view, trade with Iran remains legitimate,” she said.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Friday commended the political stances of the Europeans in supporting the country in face of US sanctions but criticized “their failure so far to bring about operational approaches and meet our expectations.”

“It is a fact that the Europeans moved much slower than we expected” in the direction of introducing the system, Araqchi said.

Despite opposition of the world countries to US sanctions on Iran, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Friday that more sanctions were possible on Iran.

'I think that you're going to see even more sanctions coming into play over time and much tighter enforcement of the sanctions,' Bolton was quoted as having told reporters in Paris.

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