Iran partially withdraws from nuclear agreement

Tehran decided to partially suspend the execution of some of its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iran nuclear program, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.

Rouhani said Iran stops the implementation of its commitments under two items of the JCPOA. They concern the suspension of sales of enriched uranium and heavy water that Iran has to other countries for 60 days, under Sections 26 and 36 of the deal, according to Press TV.

Rouhani said that Iran has sent letters to 2015 nuclear deal signatories.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran does not at the current stage consider itself committed to observing restrictions regarding storing enriched uranium stocks and heavy water stocks," the Supreme National Security Council said.

It was added that the remaining parties to the deal are given 60 days to implement their commitments, in particular in the fields of banking and oil.

Iran will resume implementing its commitments "in the same level" as the other parties to the deal respect theirs, the council added.

The head of the Iranian section of the Center for the Study of Countries at the Middle East of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS, Nina Mamedova, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that a political consensus has formed in Iran that the state is obliged to take tough steps on a nuclear deal. "The resumption of the Arak plant's activities was due to the pressure exerted on Hassan Rouhani by all domestic political forces," she said.

"Iranian reformers have always stood for the complete preservation of ties with Europe and the preservation of the JCPOA. However, now they also had to talk about the need for a tough response to sanctions. So far, the President, the First Vice-President and the Foreign Minister are trying to preserve the JCPOA, but they are ready to change some of the articles. I think this is a concession to a public-political request, and the most harmless one. That is, the government continues to do everything in order to keep the system in place,” Nina Mamedova emphasized.

"It is  possible to preserve the JCPOA if the Iranian authorities make only cosmetic changes. However, this is a big risk: for Western countries, any change to the JCPOA text can be a reason to stop all attempts to preserve it. It’s up to both Russia and Europe to try to preservep this treaty, it allows Iran to remain within the framework of the international field. Russia has its own interests in preserving the JCPOA. If we only support Iran and oppose ourselves to the world community, it will not be the best solution when Tehran  will start changing the items in the agreement. It is necessary to keep the delicate balance that has been created," the head of the Iranian section of the Center for the Study of Countries at the Middle East of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS urged.