TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday rejected “unfair pressure” on his country over its nuclear programme.
Speaking in a phone call with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, he said Iran is a responsible country and has always pursued the path of diplomacy, the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported.
He added that Iran is ready for technical cooperation to resolve issues related to its nuclear programme; however, it does not accept any political action and unfair pressure that could lead to the escalation of tensions.
The Iranian top diplomat stressed that Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA is entirely technical and within the framework of international regulations.
The two sides discussed the current status of the agreement between Iran and the IAEA, the implementation of the snapback mechanism, and the proposed UN resolution for the permanent lifting of sanctions on Iran.
His comment came after the UN Security Council voted to reimpose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
Britain, France, and Germany were key signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which offered Iran relief from UN sanctions in exchange for UN-supervised restrictions on its nuclear programme.
However, the three European governments now accuse Iran of failing to uphold its commitments under the agreement, which has largely collapsed since the United States withdrew in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term.
In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement placing full responsibility for the current situation on the United States and the three European powers.
The statement also criticised the European countries for lacking independence, accusing them of aligning with Washington’s unilateral and illegal policies.
In June, Israel attacked Iran, targeting nuclear and military facilities as well as residential areas. The attacks resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people, including nuclear scientists and senior military commanders.
Last week, Iran and the IAEA agreed on a new cooperation framework, resuming collaboration that had been suspended following Israeli and US strikes.
