European Countries at Emergency Board Meeting: Iran Must Remain Committed to JCPOA Obligations

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency held an emergency meeting in Vienna at the request of the United States. During this session, Iran’s “step-by-step reduction of commitments in the nuclear agreement” was reviewed. What were the reactions of the United States, Europe, and Iran?

The extraordinary meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency was held on Wednesday, July 10 (July 19 in the Persian calendar), at the request of Jackie Wolcott, the U.S. representative to the Agency.

After Iran announced its “step-by-step reduction of commitments to the JCPOA nuclear agreement” and the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the increase in uranium enrichment levels and stockpiles of enriched uranium, the United States requested an emergency meeting of the Board of Governors.

Representatives from 35 member countries of the Board of Governors met in Vienna to review Iran’s new approach regarding the nuclear agreement.

Representatives from Germany, Britain, and France, through a joint statement, called on Iran to remain committed to its obligations under the nuclear agreement and reconsider its recent policy. These three powerful European signatories of the JCPOA stated that they are committed to the nuclear agreement, but their support for the JCPOA will depend on Iran’s full implementation of its commitments. These three countries called for an emergency joint meeting to review Iran’s reduction of commitments under the JCPOA.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, also announced in a tweet that in this session “the United States was practically isolated.”

He emphasized that Iran should only maintain its nuclear program in a peaceful manner in return for the lifting of sanctions.

The Russian representative said: “Maintaining a unilateral agreement is very difficult. The U.S. policy of paralyzing Iran’s economy has had a negative impact on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspections in Iran.”

U.S. Statement at the Board of Governors

The United States also issued a statement on the eve of the Board of Governors meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, accusing Iran of “global extortion” and stating that it will not fall for the “Iranian tactic” and will not lift sanctions.

The U.S. statement said that the method adopted by the Islamic Republic regime will only further isolate the country.

In a tweet from the U.S. representation to the International Atomic Energy Agency, it was stated that there is no justification for the development of Iran’s nuclear program, and this Iranian approach is merely “extortion of money from the international community.”

Trump: Sanctions Against Iran Will Increase

U.S. President Donald Trump, simultaneously with the Board of Governors meeting, announced in a tweet that “Iran has secretly enriched uranium in complete contradiction with the nuclear agreement.” The U.S. president threatened that “sanctions will increase significantly in the near future.”

Trump wrote in his Twitter account: “Iran has been secretly enriching uranium for a long time and in complete contradiction with the terrible $150 billion agreement made by John Kerry and the Obama administration. Remember, this agreement was supposed to expire in the coming years. Sanctions will increase significantly in the near future.”

Beyond oil and banking sanctions, the United States has also imposed sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical sector, metal industries, and precious metals. U.S. officials, including the president, have repeatedly said that sanctions against Iran will continue until Iran is brought to the negotiating table.

Brian Hook, head of the Iran Action Group at the U.S. State Department, said the economic damage to the Islamic Republic from oil sanctions alone amounts to approximately $50 billion annually.

The Board of Governors meeting, at the request of the United States, is part of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure and sanctions on Tehran.

Iran’s Reaction to the Board of Governors Meeting

Hassan Rouhani called the Board of Governors meeting “a laughable story.”

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador and representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said: “Recent developments regarding the implementation of Iran’s measures related to the reduction of JCPOA commitments have nothing to do with issues related to safeguards and the Board of Governors’ mandate.”

Iran’s representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, in an interview with the German newspaper “Die Zeit,” said: “What we are doing has only one goal: we want to preserve the nuclear agreement. Everything can be reversed in just one hour if all our partners in this agreement also comply with their commitments in the same manner.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter about the Board of Governors meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency that “America is fed up with the JCPOA,” violated it, and now punishes those who preserve it.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also wrote that in 15 previous reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency, it was confirmed that Iran has fully adhered to the JCPOA.

The European Union expressed concern about Iran’s gradual reduction of commitments under the nuclear agreement, and one day before the Board of Governors meeting also called for an emergency meeting of the JCPOA Commission to address Iran’s increase in uranium enrichment levels.