Kamalvandi: We Will Take the Third Step of Reducing JCPOA Commitments in One More Month

Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, announced details of Iran’s third step in reducing nuclear commitments. On Monday, August 5, he told reporters: “If the other side continues not to comply with its commitments within the remaining one month, approximately one month later the third step of reducing JCPOA commitments will be taken.”

He added that we are waiting for developments in the coming month: “But so far, we have not seen anything that would give us hope that the third step will not proceed.”

According to Kamalvandi’s emphasis, Iran’s reduction of commitments means exceeding 130 tons of heavy water and 300 kilograms of enriched uranium. Under the JCPOA, the Arak heavy water reactor must be modified so that it is incapable of producing plutonium.

Iran has previously announced that it is not abandoning its commitments but suspending them. According to Tasnim News Agency quoting Kamalvandi: “If they return to their commitments, naturally we will also return and comply with our commitments.”

Kamalvandi said the enrichment percentage remains the same at 4.5 percent: “The volume of reserves is increasing and regarding heavy water, we are also working at maximum capacity and have some small exports to certain markets, which we export heavy water to in order to maintain them.”

The spokesperson of the Atomic Energy Organization added that clarifying conditions by the Foreign Ministry is very important; what “steps the other side has taken and what hopes exist.”

Kamalvandi complained that Europe says it will take action but has done nothing in practice: “The Americans are pressuring almost everyone in the world, including Russia, China, and European countries. Of course, when separate talks are held with these countries, none of them accept submitting to American pressure, but what matters is that they make a serious decision and take practical action.”

Iran announced in May 2019 that it would disregard part of its JCPOA commitments in response to American pressure and would not respect the limit on enriched uranium reserves. In the first week of June, Tehran announced that it had exceeded the permitted concentration of 3.67 percent in uranium enrichment. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said: “If the remaining countries, particularly Europeans, do not comply with their commitments and continue with talk therapy and words, we will take the next step within 60 days.”

At the latest meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission, held at the level of deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the five remaining countries in the nuclear agreement, the parties committed to saving the JCPOA. Abbas Araghchi, Zarif’s deputy, called this meeting constructive.

Following this meeting and parallel to phone calls between Iran’s president and his French counterpart, Hassan Rouhani announced in Tabriz that we might reach positive results in negotiations in the coming weeks and added: “But if we don’t, we will firmly take the third step.”