Iran Remains Quiet About Japan's Recent Prepositions To Revive JCPOA

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 26. Iran supports Japan's constructive role in restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, Trend reports.

The minister stressed that Tehran will welcome any Japanese initiative that may be in the same direction as Iran's interests.

Abollahian did not provide additional information about Japan's role in Iran's nuclear program. However, he said that he got acquainted with this country's initiative during his visit to Japan on August 7, 2023 and meeting with the country's high-level officials.

Foreign minister called the intervention of other countries in Iran's internal affairs last year (2022) as one of the reasons for the postponement of discussions on Iran's nuclear program.

On January 16, 2016, Iran's nuclear program triggered the creation of the JCPOA between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany).

However, on May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.

Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.

Iran is currently looking for various ways to resume discussions with the other parties regarding its nuclear program and eventually restore the JCPOA.

In discussions on the nuclear program, Iran is mainly trying to achieve the abolition of sanctions imposed by the US and Western countries, the removal of its funds frozen abroad, and the abolition of the restriction on the export of crude oil. In return, the US and Western countries want Iran not to acquire an atomic bomb, to keep its nuclear program under control, and to reduce the level of uranium enrichment.

In late 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to implement a strategic plan to tackle the sanctions, citing the non-implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear deal. As a result, the control mechanism of the IAEA decreased by 20–30 percent.

As reported, Iran discloses various programs related to its nuclear industry to reflect that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, according to the information obtained by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has increased the amount of highly enriched uranium by 27 percent in the last three months, and currently, the country's enriched uranium reserves are 4,745 kilograms. This is 15 times more than the amount of uranium allowed for Iran in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

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