Tehran hinted at a “serious” response to any European move to maintain ballistic missile sanctions next October.
Reuters had quoted sources as saying that European diplomats have told Iran they plan to retain European Union ballistic missile sanctions set to expire in October under the defunct 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in Monday’s weekly conference that any new sanctions based on groundless allegations were completely rejected, adding that Iran “reserves the right to respond to any irresponsible act at the appropriate time.”
International sanctions against the ballistic missile program and drones are set to expire on Oct. 18, according to a United Nations resolution on the 2015 nuclear deal.
The sources quoted by Reuters cited three reasons for keeping the sanctions: Russia’s use of Iranian drones against Ukraine; the possibility Iran might transfer ballistic missiles to Russia; and depriving Iran of the nuclear deal’s benefits given Tehran has violated the accord, albeit only after the United States did so first.
Iranian government agencies quoted Kanaani as saying that the European troika countries (France, Germany and Britain) were responsible, like the United States, for not fulfilling their commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, referring to the official name of the nuclear deal.
“The US government quit the international agreement illegally and European governments refrained from delivering on the commitments they made under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and to make up for US absence. We are convinced that European governments, specifically three of them, share with the US responsibility for the failure to honor their nuclear commitments,” he said.
The Guardian newspaper described the message of the European troika regarding keeping the sanctions as the first European breach of the nuclear agreement.
This comes after Britain pledged to establish a new sanctions regime targeting decision-makers in Tehran, including individuals and entities, if they have roles in undermining peace and stability in the Middle East or at the international level.
Britain presented evidence to the UN Security Council that Iran was sending weapons to the Houthis in Yemen and to Russia to support it in the Ukraine war.
