Iran calls French FM’s remarks on nuclear deal ‘irresponsible’

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian’s remarks on the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, were “irresponsible”.

Le Drian said on Wednesday that Paris is seriously considering triggering a mechanism within the Iran nuclear deal that could lead to UN sanctions.

“Every two months, there is another dent (in the deal by Iran) to the point where today we ask ourselves, and I’m saying this very clearly, about the implementation of the dispute resolution mechanism that exists in the deal,” Euronews quoted him as saying in a parliamentary hearing.

Mousavi said, “These remarks were irresponsible and non-constructive and seriously undermine efficiency of political initiatives for full implementation of the JCPOA by all sides and for removal of sanctions.”

He noted that Iran’s action in reducing nuclear commitments is within the framework of the JCPOA.

President Hassan Rouhani on November 5 ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to start injecting uranium gas into advanced IR-6 centrifuges at the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility.

It was the fourth step by Iran to reduce its nuclear commitments in response to the abrogation of the multinational nuclear deal by the Trump administration and return of previous sanctions coupled with inaction by the European signatories to the deal to offset sanctions.