Iran pulls out of parts of 2015 nuclear deal

Iran has officially ended its compliance with several commitments of the countrys 2015 nuclear deal, the country's atomic energy body said on Wednesday.

An official from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran told the semi-official ISNA news agency that "the country has begun to stop implementing some of its obligations under the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) as underlined in an SNSC (Supreme National Security Council) statement", Efe news reported.

"Stopping programmes related to compliance with the ceiling for production of enriched uranium as well as the unlimited production of heavy water at the Arak facility are programmes seriously pursued as stressed during the first 60-day period related to Iran's first step in response to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal," the official added.

On May 8, President Hassan Rouhani warned that Iran would begin to withdraw from key aspects of the agreement if global powers failed to keep their commitments within the next 60 days.

With Washington tightening its sanctions on the Islamic republic, Rouhani issued a 60-day suspension for the rest of the signatories of the pact to fulfil Iran's demands and save the country's banking system and oil trade from international sanctions.

He specified that the measure, which would mean Iran will not abide by the condition to sell its enriched uranium and heavy water beyond given limits, had a 60-day deadline, during which Tehran would wait for a response from the deal's remaining parties.

The announcement came exactly one year after the US abandoned the JCPOA it had signed with Iran along with Russia, China, France and the UK as co-signatories.

The agreement limits Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for lifting international sanctions but has been weakened after Washington's exit.

On the other hand, tensions between Iran and the US have escalated after the latter announced it would reinforce its troops deployed in the Middle East by sending USS Arlington and the Patriot missile system to join USS Abraham Lincoln with more fighter-bombers.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ruled out the possibility of war with the US and added that there would be no renegotiation of the deal.

--IANS

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