An significant international pact designed to stop the proliferation of nuclear arms has formally terminated, with Iran announcing the conclusion of the decade-old accord.
Historic Deal Officially Ended
Iran stated on Saturday that it was free from obligations by the 2015 agreement, formally called the JCPOA, under which international restrictions were lifted in exchange for limitations on Tehran's nuclear program.
Moving forward “all of the terms [of the 2015 deal], including the restrictions on the Iranian atomic program and the related mechanisms are considered concluded”, Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs stated in a statement.
Nonetheless, it noted that the nation “strongly expresses its dedication to diplomacy”.
Background of the Agreement
Agreed upon in the Austrian capital by Iran, Beijing, the UK, Paris, Berlin, Russia and the United States, the pact sought to resolve the long-standing diplomatic standoff and mark the beginning of a new era in ties between Iran and the west.
Although the deal formally ends on the weekend, it has been in disarray for years.
Key Developments Preceding the Termination
- In 2018, in his first term, President Trump upset his European allies by unilaterally taking the US out of the deal and reimposing sanctions.
- As a result of the US withdrawal, Tehran started increasing its nuclear programme.
- EU-brokered negotiations to revive the agreement have not succeeded, and this summer’s airstrikes on Tehran by Israel and the United States left hopes for a renewal at a record low point.
Recent Developments
After the 12-day conflict in June, the Iranian legislature passed a law to decline to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s atomic inspectorate.
This resulted in signatories the UK, Berlin and France activating the known as “snapback” process, resulting in the reinstatement of the UN sanctions.
These automatic sanctions in practice made a formality of “termination day”, which was scheduled for 18 October, precisely a decade after the adoption of Resolution 2231.
International Responses
Last month, when the automatic sanctions were implemented, the British, French and Berlin foreign ministers stated in a joint statement they would continue to pursue “a fresh diplomatic resolution to guarantee Iran never gets a atomic weapon”.
The EU's chief diplomat, the EU foreign policy chief, stated the measures “cannot be the conclusion of diplomacy” and that “a sustainable solution to the Iran's nuclear problem can solely be achieved through talks”.
Future Prospects
On Monday, former President Trump expressed that he wanted a peace agreement with Tehran, while Tehran has consistently stated it remains willing to diplomacy with the United States, on condition that Washington offers guarantees against military action during any possible talks.
The 3 EU powers also recently declared they would seek to resume talks to find a “all-encompassing, long-lasting and verifiable agreement”.
Still, relations between the Western countries and Iran remain tense. The US had previously imposed extensive restrictions, encompassing trying to compel every countries to shun Iranian oil. Several rounds of mediated by Oman discussions in recent months between Iran and the US failed to achieve an agreement.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said recently that Tehran did “perceive no any justification to negotiate” with European nations, considering that they triggered the automatic reinstatement mechanism.
Persistent Allegations
Western authorities and Tel Aviv have long accused Tehran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a allegation Tehran denies, saying its programme is power and civil-focused.
Tehran is anticipated to mark termination day with a statement later on on the weekend at the UN in New York.
