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Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union

Submitted on 2016-08-11 19:53:49

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov's comment on the fulfilment of obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s nuclear programme

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Question: Mr Ryabkov, more statements are being made in the West to the effect that Iran is trying to gain access to dual technologies contrary to the related UN Security Council resolution. At the same time, Tehran has expressed its growing concern over US and EU’s delays in following through on their obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Could this delay undermine the JCPOA and prevent the fulfilment of the agreements that were reached between the P5+1 group and Iran? Was this issue discussed at the second meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA in Vienna?

Sergey Ryabkov: The members of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which met in Vienna on July 19, discussed the implementation of the JCPOA and addressed some problems, including those related to the lifting of unilateral US and EU sanctions against Iran.

I will be honest with you: our Iranian colleagues have noted, and rightly so, that international business is not in a hurry to return to Iran, even though an impressive number of US and EU sanctions have been lifted. This explains the accusations of shortcomings against Washington and Brussels and calls for a more aggressive campaign among corporate organisations that would focus on the types of operations that were permitted in Iran after initiating the JCPOA.

As for Western claims that Iran is trying to gain access to dual-use commodities and technologies in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the essence of these accusations and the logic of these Western actions are unclear. UNSC Resolution 2231 stipulates a special mechanism, the Procurement Channel to which states can submit their proposals on the delivery of dual-use goods and technologies from the control lists of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. In other words, there is a legal mechanism, which any structure or organisation interested in delivering these commodities to Iran must use.

Overall, the implementation of the JCPOA is becoming more sustainable. Of course, there are some wrinkles, but the JCPOA has a special body, the Joint Commission, to promptly iron them out. The Commission meets regularly to address the emerging problems.