In a post on his X account late on Wednesday, Araqchi said, “If the Coordinator of the JCPOA Joint Commission believes that the objective of any potential negotiation is ‘ending Iran’s nuclear program’, it means that:
- EU High Representative Kaja Kallas disregards the provisions of the NPT, which explicitly affirm the right of all signatories to develop, research, and use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
- The provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA no longer hold any validity for its official Coordinator, thereby rendering the so-called snapback mechanism baseless.
- The participation and role of the European Union and its member states, plus the UK, in any future negotiation would be irrelevant and therefore meaningless.”
The reaction followed remarks by Kallas, who on Tuesday called for Iran to engage in immediate talks aimed at curbing its nuclear activities.
Since the U.S. pulled out of the J.C.P.O.A. during the Trump administration and reinstated harsh sanctions in 2018, Iran has increasingly emphasized its right to pursue nuclear activities. Tehran has reduced its adherence to the agreement, ramping up uranium enrichment while insisting its nuclear efforts are solely for civilian uses, including power generation and medical applications.
The European Union, alongside France, Germany, and the U.K. (collectively referred to as the E3), has been working to revive the J.C.P.O.A. through diplomacy. However, Tehran has long complained about European inaction and duplicity since the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018.
IRNA