Russia calls to keep Iran nuclear deal in place

Russia calls on the parties to the Iran nuclear deal to elaborate measures to keep that deal in place, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday after talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian.

"During the talks, we touched upon the situation around the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) on the Iranian nuclear program. We have common positions on that matter," Lavrov said. "We want the remaining parties to the plan, including Iran and the three European nations [the United Kingdom, Germany and France], to stick to their liabilities under this major document and elaborate measures that will make it possible to keep the deal afloat after the United States’ unilateral withdrawal and in view of its threats to other countries willing to continue economic ties with Iran."

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the deal on Iran’s nuclear program, was signed between Iran and six international mediators (the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia, the United States, and France) on July 14, 2015. On January 16, 2016, the parties to the deal announced beginning of its implementation. Under the deal, Iran undertakes to curb its nuclear activities and place them under total control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in exchange of abandonment of the sanctions imposed previously by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and the United States over its nuclear program.

In May 2018, US President Donald Trump announced Washington’s decision to withdraw from the deal, saying it leaves Iran a possibility to create a nuclear bomb bypassing all the restrictions. He warned the United States would reinstate its old anti-Iranian sanctions and would imposed new ones. The first round of sanctions covering Iran’s automotive sector and trade in gold and metals was re-imposed in early August. Further sanctions came into effect from November 5 and cover Iran’s oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies and individuals.