Europeans criticize Iran for “serious violations” of nuclear deal

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BERLIN (AP) The foreign ministries of Germany, France and Great Britain on Thursday expressed deep concern over the latest report from the United Nations nuclear watchdog that Iran continues to produce gas. uranium metal, which can be used in the production of a nuclear bomb.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna confirmed earlier this week that Iran has produced uranium metal enriched up to 20% for the first time and has significantly increased its production capacity to uranium enriched up to 60%.

The production of uranium metal is banned by the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which promises Iran economic incentives in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, and aims to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb. .

Germany, France and Britain, the Western European members of the JCPOA, called Iran’s actions serious violations of its JCPOA engagement. They said both are key steps in the development of a nuclear weapon and that Iran has no credible civilian need for either measure.

Iran insists it is not interested in developing a bomb and that the uranium metal is for its civilian nuclear program.

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Our concerns are compounded by the fact that Iran has severely restricted IAEA access by withdrawing from surveillance agreements agreed to by the JCPOA, the joint statement added.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, center, welcomes British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab, right, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, left, for a meeting in Berlin, Germany, on June 19, 2020 (Bernd von Jutrczenka / DPA via PA, swimming pool)

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018, with then-President Donald Trump saying it had to be renegotiated.

Since then, Tehran has steadily increased its violations of the agreement to pressure other signatories to provide more incentives for Iran to offset crippling US sanctions reimposed after the US withdrawal.

Western Europeans, along with Russia and China, are working to preserve the deal.

US President Joe Biden has said he is open to joining the pact, but Iran must return to its restrictions, while Iran has insisted the United States must drop all sanctions.

Months of talks took place in Vienna with other parts of the JCPOA shuttling between the Iranian and US delegations.

The latest round of talks ended in June with no date set for their resumption.

Stand of the Iranian governor at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Kazem Gharib Abadi, political assistant at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Abbas Araghchi, and of the deputy secretary general and political director of the European Service for the External Action (EEAS) Enrique Mora stands outside the Grand Hotel Vienna where the closed-door nuclear talks are taking place in Vienna, Austria on June 2, 2021. (AP Photo / Lisa Leutner)

Following the IAEA’s latest report on increasing uranium metal production, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said earlier this week that the move was not constructive and inconsistent with a return to mutual compliance.

In Thursday’s statement, the three Western European powers said Iran’s activities are all the more troubling given that talks in Vienna have been halted at Tehran’s request for two months and Iran has failed. ‘is not yet committed on a date for their resumption.

While refusing to negotiate, Iran instead establishes facts on the ground that complicate the return to the JCPOA, the statement said.

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