The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqhchi said that the Europeans, due to their positions, including their emphasis on zero enrichment, which recognizes Iran’s right to enrich uranium in the JCPOA, have no authority to speak and implement any part of the JCPOA.
“The Europeans do not have the authority to discuss or implement any part of the JCPOA, including the snapback, and there is a legal challenge between us and Europe,” Araqhchi said in a televised interview.
Regarding Europe’s activation of snapback, Araghchi said, noting that someone has denied the existence of “snapback” in the JCPOA: “The word “snapback” is not explicitly mentioned in the text, but its mechanism exists.”
“Snapback” means that if one party to the JCPOA refuses to fulfill its obligations and the other party becomes frustrated with the attempt to get it back to fulfilling its obligations, it can return to the state before the JCPOA.
Araqhchi also pointed to the recent visit of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s deputy to Tehran, and said “The IAEA delegation met with officials from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and the Foreign Ministry in Tehran on Monday.”
He said, “During the consultations that took place, initial ideas were exchanged regarding how Iran and the IAEA should engage in the new period. I don’t think it was a bad start, but it will take time to reach a conclusion and a modality in this regard.”
Referring to the peace agreement reached in Washington between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, Araghchi said “It is natural that the dimensions of the Zangezur case are not yet completely clear, but what the appearance of the matter shows and what the Armenians tell us because they insist on justifying us, what happened is completely different from what was supposed to happen and the change in the geopolitical situation of the region.”
The foreign minister pointed out that “of course, this very thing that is supposed to happen also has concerns for us that we are paying attention to,” adding that “First, the issue of the seizure of Armenia’s Syunik province was raised, we expressed our serious concerns and this project was canceled, and then the issue of the corridor was raised.”
He continued, “But all of this has now become a road that an American company registered in Armenia and under Armenian laws will establish under Armenian sovereignty.”
He further pointed out that “what Armenia is now telling us is that they have complied with all of Iran’s red lines.”
“No American forces will be stationed on the Iran-Armenia border,” he added.
The foreign minister added, “We must take into account our real concerns, but we must see the matter realistically and see what exactly is happening.”
Source: IRNA
