Iran to announce 3rd phase of nuclear scale-down in coming hours: President

“Despite the fact that an important part of the differences in negotiations with Europe has been resolved, we haven’t reached the final agreement so far,” said Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday one day ahead of the announcement of the third part of scaling down its voluntary commitments within the 2015 nuclear deal. 

“In this framework, Iran will take the third step of reducing its nuclear commitments, whose details will be announced either today or tomorrow and it will act based on this new phase,” he added, addressing the cabinet in Tehran. 

Iran has been in talks with France to work on details of Paris proposals for de-escalating the tensions between the US and Iran. 

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Paris on Monday to continue the talks. 

Both parties have faced major differences; however, those have been reduced to a few, according to the Iranian president. 

“For example, if we have had differences in 20 issues, there are now only three points left unresolved. A majority of these has been resolved but we haven’t reached the final point so far. I don’t think that we will reach a final agreement today or tomorrow, so we will take the third step and will announced the third step either today or tomorrow and will act based on them,” Rouhani said.  

Iran and the France understand each other better now, noted the Iranian president, referring to several weeks of phone and face-to-face negotiations between Iranian and French high-level officials. 

Iran has already reduced several of its voluntary commitments within the nuclear deal of 2015, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) since May 8, the first anniversary of the US pullout from the accord. 

“On the surface, the third phase isn’t very shocking but it’s highly important from the inside and I think that this is the most important step that we will take and it will have great results,” Rouhani added, stressing that the third phase will accelerate Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEO) activities. 

He reiterated that Iran will give another two months to Europe to deliver on its commitments, while Tehran will continue talks in the meantime. 

“If we reach an agreement, there will be a path for negotiations, logic and agreement,” Rouhani said.