© President/EPA-EFE
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
Europe has two months to negotiate sanctions relief for Tehran, otherwise the country will initiate
'phase three' in its rollback of commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said.
"Europe has another two-month deadline for negotiations, agreement, and a return to its commitments," Rouhani warned at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Tehran has been calling on the EU to provide relief from the sweeping sanctions that were imposed by Washington after the US unilaterally left the 2015 deal, known as the JCPOA. Iranian officials have warned that they will gradually reduce their commitments under the agreement if this does not happen.
In early July, Iran activated the
'first phase' of this strategy by increasing its stockpile of enriched uranium beyond the 300kg limit imposed by the JCPOA. The 'second phase' - enriching uranium beyond 3.67 percent - was effected shortly afterwards. Rouhani didn't specify what the next step would be, but he hinted that it would play an important part in transforming the nation's nuclear program.
"The third step is of an extremely important nature, and
will considerably accelerate the activities of the country's nuclear energy organization," he said. Rouhani stressed that the impact of the move "will be extraordinarily huge."
Comment: Additionally from
RFE/RL, 4/9/2019: Rohani threatens 'extraordinary effects'
On September 3, reports suggested France was prepared to offer Iran $15 billion in credit lines until the end of the year -- guaranteed by oil -- in return for Tehran adhering again to the JCPOA's terms.
But that arrangement seemingly hinged on cooperation from Washington, which reimposed unilateral sanctions and has pressed other states to avoid doing business with Iran.
And Iran's state-run Press TV, without citing a source, said that country had rejected the $15 billion-credit proposal.
Earlier on September 4, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was quoted as saying that "it is unlikely European countries can take an effective step" before a weekend deadline set by Iran.
From
RFE/RL, 4/9/2019: France explores $15B relief plan, pending green light from Washington
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian told Reuters talks on the credit lines were ongoing, but U.S. President Donald Trump must first approve it.
The idea is "to exchange a credit line guaranteed by oil in return for, one, a return to the JCPOA [nuclear deal]...and two, security in the [Persian] Gulf and the opening of negotiations on regional security and a post-2025 [nuclear program]," Le Drian told reporters. "All this [pre]supposes that President Trump issues waivers."
"No decision has ever been made to hold talks with the United States and there has been a lot of offers for talks but our answer will always be negative," Rohani said on September 3 in Iran's parliament.
And this from Sputnik, 4/9/2019: Tehran rejects $15B loan from France
According to reports, Tehran will only stop scrapping its obligations under the agreement if it sells as much oil as it used to before Washington re-imposed sanctions.
In the meantime, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran was unlikely to reach a deal with European countries in the next few days and stated that Europe would have two months to fulfill its commitments under the accord. Rouhani also noted that Iran would announce the details of its retaliatory step on the deal later in the day, or tomorrow.
Comment: More from RFE/RL, 4/9/2019: Zarif dismisses US Space-Agency sanctions Additional from RT, 4/9/2019: 'Stop imitating Thanos, Trump!' Tehran blasts US for sanctioning space agency