Iran announced that it was no longer bound by the restrictions on its nuclear program defined in an international agreement concluded 10 years ago, which expires todayreiterating, however, its commitment to diplomacy.
This agreement, signed in 2015 by Iran, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Russia and China, aimed to regulate the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of UN sanctions, which were weighing heavily on the Iranian economy.
Its expiration date had been set for October 18, 2025, exactly 10 years after the text was endorsed by the UN through resolution 2231.
The agreement limited Iran’s uranium enrichment to 3.67% and provided for strict supervision of nuclear activities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear oversight body.
Mural in Sana, honoring leaders of the Iranian-backed “axis of resistance”, including the failed Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah (second from the right)
Khaled Abdullah/Reuters
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Despite denying it, Iran is often accused by the West and by Israel, its sworn enemy, of secretly developing nuclear weapons.
From now on, “all provisions [do acordo]including restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program and related mechanisms, are considered closeds“, wrote the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement released regarding the expiration of the pact.
The agreement had already suffered several setbacks, as, in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first presidential term, the United States withdrew from the agreement and reinstated their sanctions against Iran.
In retaliation, Iran gradually withdrew from certain commitments set out in the agreement.
According to the IAEA, Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons to enrich uranium to a high level (60%), close to the technical limit of 90%, necessary to manufacture an atomic bomb.
Tehran also suspended all cooperation with the IAEA in July, after a 12-day war launched by Israel, which included bombing nuclear facilities in Iran.
The United States also carried out attacks against certain facilities in Iran during this war and, in retaliation, Tehran launched missiles and drones against Israel.
The conflict put an end to a series of indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran over Iran’s nuclear program, which had been ongoing since April.
At the initiative of France, the United Kingdom and Germany, the UN reinstated sanctions against Iran at the end of September, suspended 10 years ago.
The expiration of the nuclear deal makes sanctions “null and void”said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a letter sent to the UN today.
Although Iran signed an agreement with the IAEA in September in Cairo to define the resumption of its cooperation, the three European countries criticized Tehran’s lack of cooperation with the United Nations nuclear agency and the IAEA and called for the resumption of negotiations with the United States.
“Iran’s efforts to resume discussions [com a AIEA] that led to the Cairo agreement were also sabotaged by the irresponsible actions of the three European countries,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry added.
Still, he added, “Iran firmly expresses its commitment to diplomacy.”
Iran’s nuclear program has long poisoned Iran’s relations with Western countries.
Iran denies intending to create an atomic bomb, but insists on its right to nuclear energy for civilian purposes, particularly to generate electricity.