Fate of JCPOA will be decided tonight: Iran foreign ministry spokesman

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman says a very important session will be held tonight in light of the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Units in Iraq, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, by US terrorists, in which the fate of Iran's nuclear deal with six countries, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), will be decided.

“Decisions had already been made about taking the fifth step [in reducing nuclear commitments], but given the current circumstances, an important meeting is scheduled to be convened about the fifth step tonight, which bears upon the affirmed decisions,” Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said in a press conference in Tehran on Sunday.

Underlining that the entire threats are interrelated in the field of politics, the Iranian diplomat said, “What I assume is going to unfold tonight determines what the Islamic Republic will do in light of the JCPOA implementation and the forthcoming step.”

US President Donald Trump, a stern critic of the landmark deal, unilaterally pulled Washington out of the JCPOA in May 2018, and unleashed the “toughest ever” sanctions against Tehran in defiance of global criticism in an attempt to strangle the Iranian oil trade.

In response to the renewal of the sanctions, Tehran has so far rowed back on its nuclear commitments four times, in compliance with Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA, but stressed that its retaliatory measures will be reversible as soon as the European signatories — France, Britain and Germany — find practical ways to shield mutual trade from the sanctions.

Iran to take 5th JCPOA step if Europe fails to fulfill commitments: Shamkhani

An Iranian official says Tehran has started different steps to reduce its peaceful nuclear commitments.

As a first step, Iran increased its enriched uranium stockpile to beyond the 300 kilograms set by the JCPOA.

In the second step, Tehran began enriching uranium to purity rates beyond the JCPOA limit of 3.76 percent.

In the third phase, after the Europeans failed to meet a 60-day deadline to meet Iran’s demands and fulfill their commitments under the deal, Iran started up advanced centrifuges to boost the country's stockpile of enriched uranium and activated 20 IR-4 and 20 IR-6 centrifuges for research and development purposes.

In November, Iran began injecting gas into centrifuges at the Fordow plant as part of its fourth step away from the JCPOA under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

EU invites Iranian foreign minister to Brussels

In a press release on Sunday, the European Union (EU) said the bloc had invited Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Brussels, calling for a "de-escalation of tensions."

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said a regional political solution was the "only way forward,” and stressed "the importance of preserving" the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Pointing to the EU invitation, Mousavi said, “Deliberations were underway for Zarif’s trip to Brussels but nothing was finalized.”

General Soleimani was an international figure who played a leading role in promoting peace and security in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

He was assassinated along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US airstrike in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad early on Friday.

Commander of Iran’s Quds Force, PMU deputy head martyred in US strike

The director of public relations of pro-government Hashd al-Sha’abi forces has been killed after three Katyusha rockets fell on Baghdad International Airport.

Both commanders were admired by Muslim nations for eliminating the US-sponsored Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the region.

US should stop bombastic rhetoric, threats

Trump has threatened to target 52 sites, some "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture" if Tehran avenged the assassination.

Pointing to Trump’s threat to target 52 Iranian historical and cultural sites, Mousavi said during the presser on Sunday, “Iran’s stance has been made clear in a tweet by Mr. Zarif. I highly regret that that we live in a world that the president of a so-called world power has adopted such a position and has advisors that have no clue about the Book of Law, and mock the axioms of international law. We will respond to threats with threats and our hands are not tied up in the face of menaces.”

The Iranian diplomat said, “We advise the Americans to abstain from such rhetoric and threats.”

In his tweet on Saturday, Trump said the targets represented 52 Americans who were held in Iran for acts of espionage following the 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran by revolutionary students .

Iran says US lacks courage after Trump threatens to hit 52 sites

Iran’s Army chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi says Washington lacks the "courage" to initiate a conflict with Tehran.

Zarif took to Twitter Sunday to denounce Trump's "new breaches of JUS COGENS," referring to binding norms of international law.

"Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME; -Whether kicking or screaming, end of US malign presence in West Asia has begun," he said.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk