Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers is in danger of “falling apart” without the compliance of the United States and the European Union, Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, warned Monday, according to The Associated Press.
US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal last year and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
In response to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and its imposition of sanctions, Iran has scaled back its compliance with the agreement.
Most recently, the Islamic Republic restarted uranium enrichment at the underground Fordow facility in violation of the deal and has threatened to take further steps to reduce its commitments.
“Because of the destructive line that Washington keeps towing, this important achievement of international diplomacy… is in danger of falling apart,” Lavrov said on Monday, adding that “colleagues from the European Union” were not fully complying with the agreement either.
Britain, France and Germany – the European signatories to the agreement – have been trying to save the nuclear deal and have vowed to help Iran evade the economic sanctions imposed by the US, shielding companies doing business with the rogue state in an effort to preserve the Iran nuclear deal.
However, Iran has rejected the European countries’ steps and has described them as insufficient.
Lavrov, who spoke after a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, said Russia would demand full compliance from both the US and the EU, in which case Iran would be able to return to fulfilling its obligations in accordance with the deal.
Otherwise the agreement should be considered “no longer existing,” he said, according to AP.