UK urges Iran not to take 'further' steps after Tehran's reaction to US pressure
Britain has reacted to Iran’s announcement that it will suspend parts of its commitments under an international nuclear agreement in the wake of US unilateral pressure.
Mark Field, the junior minister responsible for Middle East affairs at Britain’s Foreign Office, called Tehran's move “unwelcome,” while addressing the British parliament on Wednesday.
Field said the UK had no plan to swiftly reciprocate Iran’s decision, urging Tehran "not to take further escalatory steps."
“Today’s announcement from Tehran is ... an unwelcome step,” Field told the British parliament, adding, “We are not at this stage talking about re-imposing sanctions, but one has to remember that they were of course lifted in exchange for the nuclear restrictions ... Should Iran cease meeting its nuclear commitments, there would of course be consequences.”
The comments came hours after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sent letters to ambassadors of signatories to the JCPOA in Tehran, informing them that Iran will no longer sell its excess enriched uranium and heavy water, as demanded by the nuclear deal.
Rouhani also set a 60-day deadline for the parties to either change the terms of the agreement, which has suffered as a result of a unilateral decision by the United States to withdraw from the agreement, or face the prospect of Iran resuming its uranium enrichment program.
Iran has consistently criticized the UK, France and Germany for not doing enough to save the Joint Compressive Plan of Action so that Iran could enjoy its economic benefits.
France also said on Wednesday that it wanted to keep the nuclear deal alive, a promise repeatedly echoed by French officials since last May when US President Donald Trump pulled out of the JCPOA.
French Defense Minister Florence Parly has also acknowledged Iran's respect for the deal so far, yet suggesting the possibility of imposing sanctions on Tehran.
“This is probably one of the things that will be examined. There are no sanctions today from Europe because Iran has so far always respected the commitments it has taken,” Parly said in a radio interview, adding, “If these commitments were not respected, naturally this question would be asked.”
A spokesman for the German government also urged Tehran not to take any aggressive step in relation to the JCPOA, saying Berlin would fully stick to its commitments as long as Iran does the same.
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