Still awaiting EU proposals to save nuke deal: Iran

Tehran, July 1: Iran said on Saturday that it has not received the package of proposals from the European Union aiming to save Iran’s interests in the 2015 international nuclear deal. The European states are still holding discussions to present their proposals, said Bahram Qasemi, spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Last week, Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, said three European countries and the EU “have pledged to propose a package of practical solutions to secure Iran’s interests in the deal”, Xinhua reported.

Earlier this month, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal to take “practical and tangible measures” to protect Iranian interests after the US pullout. Iran signed the landmark nuclear deal with the US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany in 2015 to halt its nuclear weapons programme in exchange for sanctions relief. However, US President Donald Trump decided on May 8 to quit the Iranian nuclear deal and vowed to re-impose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Tehran. (IANS)