More steps to scale back Iran's nuclear commitments in offing: AEOI

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says Tehran will continue to further scale back its commitments under a nuclear deal it clinched with major world powers in 2015 if the other signatories fail to keep their side of the bargain.

"Iran's decision to reduce part of its commitments under the JCPOA (the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) was taken after one-year strategic patience in response to a unilateral move by Washington to withdraw from the deal and with the purpose of striking balance between the [country's] rights and commitments," the AEOI's deputy head for international, parliamentary and legal affairs, Behrouz Kamalvandi, said at the opening ceremony of a training course on the nuclear rights in Tehran on Sunday.

The AEOI official added that the Islamic Republic stands ready to return to the full implementation of its commitments under the JCPOA if the other parties live up to their obligations. "Otherwise, the reduction of the commitments will continue."

Iran has been on track to abandon commitments under the nuclear deal in response to a move by President Donald Trump of the United States to withdraw from the pact and re-impose the "toughest ever" sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Tehran has so far rowed back on its commitments three times in compliance with Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA. It has stressed that its retaliatory measures will be reversible as soon as Europe finds practical ways to shield the mutual trade from the US sanctions.

In a meeting with the visiting acting head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Cornel Feruta, in Tehran on September 8, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the three steps taken by the Islamic Republic to reduce its commitments under the nuclear pact were legitimate and allowed under the agree.

PressTV-'Iran's commitments reduction allowed under JCPOA'

Iran says its steps to reduce commitments under the JCPOA are legitimate and allowed under the deal.

Iran's top diplomat said all measures taken "by the Islamic Republic of Iran to reduce its commitments in response to the European sides' failure to fulfill theirs" conformed to Article 36 of the deal.

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Elsewhere in his remarks, the AEOI official emphasized that as announced by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iran's motto is 'nuclear energy for all, nuclear weapons for none.'

At an international level, nuclear rights should include international requirements such as a globally endorsed statute to determine indiscriminate rights and responsibilities of all countries, Kamalvandi said, adding the issue of nuclear disarmament is a global demand.

Read more:

• Israeli nukes threaten region stability, NPT credibility: Iran nuclear chief
• US nuclear sanctions targeting Iran’s knowledge, IRGC chief commander says
• Iran will never pursue nuclear weapon: FM Zarif

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