[ad_1]
Tehran: Iran’s President-elect Massoud Pezeshkian said he looked forward to improving relations with European countries, even as he accused them of reneging on promises to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions.
Pezeshkian defeated ultra-conservative candidate Saeed Jalili in a runoff on July 6. The 69-year-old called for a “constructive relationship” with Western countries to “bring Iran out of isolation” and advocated a restoration of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers.
Washington unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, causing Iran to gradually reduce its commitment to the terms of the accord, which was aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear activities and Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes only.
Writing in English late on Friday tehran times In the report, Pezeshkian said that after the United States withdrew from the 2015 agreement, European countries were committed to doing their best to save the agreement and mitigate the impact of US sanctions.
“European countries broke all these promises,” Pezeshkian wrote.
“Despite these missteps, I look forward to engaging in a constructive dialogue with European countries to put our relations on the right path, based on the principles of mutual respect and equality.”
EU spokesperson Nabila Maslali had earlier congratulated Pezeshkian on his election, adding that the 27-member bloc was “ready to engage with the new government in line with the EU’s policy of critical engagement”.
Pezeshkian is a heart surgeon whose only previous government experience was as health minister about two decades ago. The death of ultra-conservative President Ibrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash has forced the election, which was not originally scheduled for 2025.
Pezeshkian is considered a “reformist” in Iran and the only candidate from that camp allowed to run in the elections, all of which have been approved by Iran’s Guardian Council.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has the final say on all major policy issues of the country.
Iran has gradually begun to renege on its commitments to the hard-won 2015 deal, in which it agreed to freeze its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of crippling international sanctions. After the United States withdrew and then reimposed sanctions, Iran has gradually begun to renege on its commitments to the deal.
Parties to the 2015 deal with Iran saw it as the best way to stop the Islamic Republic from developing a nuclear bomb — a goal Tehran has always denied.
European countries, joined by EU members France and Germany as well as Britain, China and Russia, have tried to salvage the deal, but Iran has accused them of appearing to be doing nothing.
[ad_2]
Source link
