Iran has cautioned the European Union against retaining sanctions beyond the timeline stipulated in the 2015 agreement concerning Tehran's nuclear program, terming such a move "illegal."
In a statement issued late Thursday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry deemed the decision by the European Union and three European countries (E3) as illegal and contrary to the obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the UN Security Council's Resolution 2231.
The ministry further warned European parties that such measures create tension and are accompanied by malicious intentions.
Meanwhile, the British Foreign Ministry announced that London, Paris, and Berlin have resolved to maintain their sanctions on Iran past the October 18 deadline as stated in the 2015 accord.
A statement by the British Foreign Office emphasized that Iran continued its non-compliance with their JCPOA commitments and ongoing nuclear escalation.
E3 confirmed that the UN sanctions will be transferred into domestic sanctions regimes, and the EU and UK sanctions will be maintained.
The JCPOA had specified that a series of sanctions by the UN, EU, and the UK should be lifted on October 18, targeting specifically individuals and entities involved in Iran's missile program, nuclear weaponry, and other arms.
The objective of the 2015 agreement was to restrict Iran's nuclear activities in return for alleviating international sanctions.
However, the accord was suspended due to the unilateral withdrawal by the US under president Donald Trump's administration in 2018.
Last year, EU-led negotiations to revive the agreement fell through.
- Two Oil Tankers
Iran captured two foreign oil tankers in the Arabian Gulf carrying smuggled fuel and arrested their crews.
The state television reported that the navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) captured two foreign oil tankers in the Gulf carrying 400,000 gallons of smuggled fuel.
IRGC commander Mohammad Sharif Shirali identified the tankers, the Steven and the Crown, flying under the flags of Panama and Tanzania. Both ships' crews, 37 people in total, were arrested.
The US military has recently bolstered its presence in Gulf waters following accusations against Iran for attempting to intercept ships in this vital passage.
On July 6, the US Navy reported that the IRGC seized a commercial vessel in the Gulf, a day after accusing Iranian forces of similar attempts off the coast of Oman.
Iran later asserted that the ship intercepted in Gulf waters had transported "over half a million smuggled fuel."
