Iranian President Hasan Rohani on Sunday called on European countries to avoid “any threat or pressure” in negotiations with Tehran on its nuclear program in a meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.
Since the arrival of Joe Biden to the White House, the United States, and the Europeans France, Germany and the United Kingdom, and Iran have tried to save the agreement closed in 2015, by which Tehran limited its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions international
The 2018 withdrawal of the United States from the agreement, during the term of Donald Trump, and the reimposition of sanctions was a serious setback for the supporters of the pact.
“The best way to resolve problems with European partners … is through negotiations based on respect and avoiding any threat or pressure,” Rohani said during the meeting, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency.
Rohani reiterated his criticism of the “passivity of Europe regarding the commitments” of the agreement, adding that Iran had pledged to “preserve” it as “the only party that has paid the price.”
His remarks come days after Berlin, Paris and London decided not to present a resolution to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) critical of Iran, a decision that Tehran celebrated as an opportunity for diplomacy.
On February 23, Iran began restricting some IAEA inspections after the deadline set by its Parliament for the lifting of US sanctions.
However, Iran and the IAEA closed a temporary technical agreement to limit the scope of the suspension of any inspection for a period of up to three months.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, for his part, tweeted on Friday that he will present “soon” a “constructive and concrete plan of action for Tehran through the appropriate diplomatic channels.”