Warning of more reduction of JCPOA commitments, Zarif talked of developing nuclear program and reducing cooperation with IAEA inspectors if US and E3 do not comply with their JCPOA commitments.







In a message on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution, the top Iranian diplomat said that independence reliance on internal resources is the most noticeable achievement of Iranians after the revolution.

Zarif said that the Iranian nation had had a long way more than 100 years before the revolution to achieve the right to self-determination, saying that developing indigenous scientific-technical industry is the key achievements the Iranians have made since the revolution despite being under heavy sanctions.

In an apparent reference to the Iranian Parliament’s deadline for Washington to lift the sanctions, the foreign minister further warned the new US administration that the “window of opportunity” was “closing fast” to make up for the past mistakes the previous Trump administration had made in dealing with the Iranian nation.

He said that Tehran would have to take further steps to reduce its JCPOA commitments in the case of continuing non-compliance with the nuclear accord by the US and the European signatories on February 20.

Zarif said the Parliament’s legislation is in accordance with the nuclear deal and Tehran will reduce the cooperation with IAEA inspectors and further develop its nuclear program on February.

At the end of his message, Zarif said that Iran, as it has repeatedly said in the past, is ready to cooperate with its neighbors in line with the common goals shared with the neighbors.

He said that on the occasion of the revolution anniversary, Tehran once again calls for ending hostility towards the Iranian nation.

After the illegitimate US exit from the JCPOA in May 2018, the three European signatories to the deal remained indifferent to making up for Iran’s losses.

Amid the Europeans’ lack of action, Iran took 5 steps to reduce its commitments to the deal while vowing that it will reverse the course as soon as the other parties live up to their commitments under the accord.

The Iranian parliament passed a bill, dubbed the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions in early last December, setting a Feb. 21 deadline for Biden to lift the US sanctions. Otherwise, Iran will halt implementing the additional protocol.

Iran has so far resumed 20% uranium enrichment at Fordow plant in accordance with the Parliament’s legislation and has warned that in the case Washington does not remove all the anti-Iran illegitimate sanctions, it will also stop voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol, which gives IAEA inspectors unannounced visits to Iranian facilities.