Iran Rejects European Criticism Of Its Expanded Nuclear Program

Iran has criticized the three European members of the JCPOA in Vienna on Thursday for their statement on Wednesday raising alarm over its nuclear activities.

Mohammad Reza Ghaebi, Tehran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) spoke at the ongoing meeting of the agency’s Board of Governors saying that the United Kingdom, France and Germany (E3) have failed to stand up to US maximum pressure sanctions and instead criticize his government.

Ghaebi defended Iran’s decision to reduce IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities and Tehran’s accelerated uranium enrichment process, insisting that purifying fissile material to 60 percent is within Iran’s rights under international conventions.

The E3 in their statement had warned that the higher-degree enrichment has no civilian purpose and demanded that Iran immediately return to its obligations under the Joint Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which allows only 3.65 percent enriched uranium.

Ghaebi reiterated Iran’s position that the only reason for the current crisis is the actions of the United States by withdrawing from the JCPOA and imposing sanctions. He also repeated Tehran’s demand that sanctions should be “verifiably” removed before there can be a new deal. He said as along as US sanctions remain in place no one should expect continence by Iran.