IAEA says Iran implementing its nuclear deal commitments
TEHRAN - Agence France-Presse
The head of the United Nations atomic agency on Oct. 29 said Iran was carrying out its commitments made under a landmark nuclear deal with world powers.
“As of today, I can state that the nuclear-related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA [nuclear deal] are being implemented,” Yukiya Amano said at a press conference in Tehran broadcast by state television.
The 2015 accord, signed by the Islamic republic as well as Germany, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, saw economic sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for it curbing its nuclear activities.
This month, U.S. President Donald Trump said a “total termination” of the deal remained possible, after refusing to certify the accord and leaving its fate to the U.S. Congress.
On Oct. 29, Amano met Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization chief Ali Akbar Salehi.
The 2015 accord included a ban on high-level uranium enrichment -- 20 percent or more -- that would take Iran close to the level needed for a nuclear weapon.
Salehi said that Iran could resume uranium enrichment of 20 percent within four days if it wished.
“But we don’t want that,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rouhani said his country would continue building weapons including developing missiles “to defend our nation and territorial integrity.”
“We have built missiles, we are building some and will continue to do so because it does not violate any international regulations -- not even the U.N. Security Council’s Resolution 2231” endorsing the deal, Rouhani said.
Under Resolution 2231, Tehran is “called upon” to refrain from carrying out launches of missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
