Zarif tells Mogherini Iran to continue JCPOA talks despite further reducing obligations

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sent on Thursday a letter to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini expressing readiness to continue the talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with the remaining signatories, despite proceeding to the third stage of rolling down its obligations under the deal, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

Iran is going to further reduce its obligations under the JCPOA starting from Friday. The third stage, in particular, includes research activity beyond the frameworks of the nuclear deal. Earlier in September, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that this nuclear activity would, in particular, include research of the new type of centrifuges.

"In an attempt to demonstrate its good will, Iran is ready for dialogue at all levels with the parties, remaining in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," Iranian Foreign Ministry's representative, Abbas Mousavi, said, commenting on the contents of Zarif's letter to Mogherini.

In his letter, Zarif noted that Iran decided to launch the third state of reducing its obligations under the JCPOA because of the negative effects of the reimposed US sanctions and the inability of the United Kingdom, France and Germany to fulfill their commitments.

On the first anniversary of the US unilateral pullout from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal on May 8, Tehran announced that it would start abandoning some parts of its nuclear obligations every 60 days unless European signatories to the deal ensured Iran's interests under the agreement amid Washington’s reinstated sanctions.

Other JCPOA signatories have so far failed to ensure Tehran's economic interests violated by unilateral US sanctions.