Russian MFA calls on the West to take a responsible approach to Iran nuclear deal

24 November 2022

 
Moscow calls on the West to take a responsible approach on the issue of restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this at a briefing on Thursday.


"We call on Washington and European capitals to put aside opportunistic considerations to seriously and objectively reflect on what is happening and to take a responsible approach to the task of restoring full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as soon as possible. This, in turn, would address concerns about the scale, pace and level of nuclear material production in Iran. We are ready to facilitate such an approach in every possible way," she said.


Zakharova recalled that on November 22, IAEA Director-General Raphael Grossi confirmed in his informational report that Iran had started uranium production at the Fordow site at up to 60% enrichment level, as well as replacement of some centrifuges with more advanced models.


"You just have to understand that all changes in Iran's nuclear program take place under the continuous control of the IAEA, the international community receives relevant information from this agency. The report does not contain any conclusions or assessments that could be interpreted as indicating that Iran is violating its non-proliferation obligations. Everything stipulated by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA, is being strictly and consistently implemented by Tehran. These are the facts," Zakharova added.


Awkward Truth


According to her, this is an awkward truth for the West. "They will try to disguise it in every possible way through another attack on Iran. In this case, the foreign media, the Western mainstream, serves the interests of Western governments simply as an assembly line," Zakharova said. - "Just a week ago, they attacked the IAEA Board of Governors, where the US and the European member states of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action introduced another anti-Iranian resolution. As you know, Russia and China, as well as a number of other members of the Board of Governors, did not support this destructive impulse."


The diplomat stressed that this resolution, like the previous ones, will not have any practical consequences, but it already has a negative impact on the prospects for resuscitation of the JCPOA.


Trick won't work


Zakharova pointed out that Russia sees the stubborn urge of Washington and its satellites to constantly challenge Iran as a manifestation of their unwillingness and inability to see the nuclear deal restored all the way through. "It seems that our Western ex-partners are simply discouraged, rather frightened, by the fact that months of negotiating efforts have resulted in solutions that make reviving the JCPOA possible. The logic is wild, but this very negotiating pantomime is very typical of the West. On the one hand to demand, to wish, to strive for negotiations, but within those negotiations to engage in some kind of subversion," she added. - "We are witnessing a feverish thought process in Western capitals to find a convenient excuse to withdraw from the game, shifting the responsibility for the breakdown of negotiations to Tehran. I can tell you for sure that this will not work for them."


The official representative of the Russian MFA also noted that the report by the IAEA director-general does not give any grounds, not even a hint, for this. The diplomat pointed out that the right key to the settlement was found in 2015, the JCPOA was supported by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and helped finally eliminate the questions the agency had against Tehran at the time and ensure maximum long-term transparency of nuclear activities in Iran. "And as the Russian leadership has repeatedly stressed, the shortest and most effective way to restore the nuclear deal is through strict compliance by all parties with their obligations," she added.


However, the diplomat continued, the problem is different: "The West does not like to honor its commitments, nor how and when it is reminded of them."


According to her, the necessary solutions were worked out down to the last detail in the Vienna format, everything stalled just one step from the finish line. "Western colleagues had a chance to seize the chance to solidify the scheme they were looking for, while refusing to bring an anti-Iran resolution to the Governing Council. But they made a different choice, they kill the whole spirit and meaning of international organizations, they stamp out resolutions, documents that have nothing to do with international law, that are not just politicized, but are the political declaration of only one country or group of states. This is all wrong and harmful," concluded the official representative.


The JCPOA was signed with Iran in 2015 to address the crisis over its nuclear development by the permanent UN Security Council Five and Germany. Previous US President Donald Trump decided in 2018 to withdraw from the agreement. Current US leader Joe Biden has repeatedly signaled a willingness to bring Washington back into the nuclear deal with Tehran. Russia, Britain, Germany, China, the US and France have been negotiating with Iran in Vienna since last April to restore the JCPOA to its original form.

 

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic world"

Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry

Based on materials from TASS