France Urges Iran to Refrain From New Phase of Nuclear Commitments Reductions

Earlier this week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Tehran would soon use new-generation IR-9 gas centrifuges in its nuclear activity.

France says that Iran must refrain from a new phase of reductions to its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal. 

"Iran must abstain from crossing an especially worrying new phase of new measures that could contribute to an escalation in tensions," French foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnès von der Muhll told reporters in a daily briefing.

The spokeswoman said this in response to Iranian President Rouhani's announcement that his country would use advanced IR-9 centrifuges for uranium enrichment.

Tehran started reducing its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May amid what it described as the lack of progress from other signatories concerning their support in overcoming the US sanctions against Iran. 

Heavy water nuclear facility near Arak, Iran

© AP Photo / Hamid Foroutan

In May 2018, US President Donald Trump said his country was withdrawing from the JCPOA and re-imposing economic sanctions against Tehran. Washington also threatened to introduce sanctions against any country that would buy oil from Iran. A year later, Tehran announced that it would gradually reduce its commitments under the nuclear deal and urged other signatories to the deal - China, Russia, France, Germany and the UK - to offer Iran financial and economic mechanisms to overcome the US sanctions.