Tehran, May 15: Iran has officially exited its compliances with the 2015 international nuclear pact i.e., International Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the nation’s atomic energy council said on Wednesday.
An official from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran told the semi-official ISNA news agency that “the country has begun to stop implementing some of its obligations under the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) as underlined in an SNSC (Supreme National Security Council) statement”, Efe news reported.
“Stopping programmes related to compliance with the ceiling for production of enriched uranium as well as the unlimited production of heavy water at the Arak facility are programmes seriously pursued as stressed during the first 60-day period related to Iran’s first step in response to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal,” the official added.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced on April 8, a move that comes a year after the US unilaterally withdrew from the pact.
In a televised speech, Rouhani said that Tehran would reduce its “commitments” to the deal, but would not fully withdraw and that signatories of the deal — France, the UK, Germany, Russia and China — had been informed in advance of the move.
The accord is aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief, but Tehran-Washington tensions have risen since the US withdrew from the deal. US President Donald Trump later reimposed sanctions on Tehran, hitting its economy.
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