TEHRAN, Jan 16 (NNN-ISNA) – The Iranian ambassador to Spain, yesterday, blasted Europe’s inaction, in the face of U.S. pullout from the 2015 nuclear deal, saying, the European Union (EU), in practice, took no effective measure against Washington’s “cruel” sanctions on Tehran, after U.S. unilateral withdrawal.
Hassan Qashqavi made the remarks, when addressing a gathering of university professors and students of Spain.
He voiced his regret that, the incumbent U.S. President, Joe Biden, failed to fulfill its pledge of Washington’s immediate return to the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying, this is why talks are currently being held in the Austrian capital, Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA signatories, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, to revive the deal.
Commenting on U.S. sanctions against Iranians and their adverse impacts on Iran’s relations with other countries, including Spain, he stressed that, “the EU took no effective measure in practice, in the face of Washington’s cruel sanctions.”
The ambassador added, Iran again placed on its agenda, negotiations with the remaining JCPOA parties aiming to fully lift the sanctions despite the sides’ failure to honour their promises.
Since last Apr, Iran and the five signatories have been holding talks in Vienna, to restore the JCPOA. The U.S. side has been indirectly taking part in the talks.
The 2015 nuclear deal eased previous U.S. sanctions on Iran, in exchange for Tehran’s curbing its nuclear programme, which the U.S.-led Western countries have suspected as an attempt to create nuclear weapons, despite Iran’s insistence that it is peaceful.– NNN-ISNA