TEHRAN, October 22 - A senior Iranian official says European countries oppose the United States’ moves in violation of the 2015 nuclear agreement and pursue a different stance on the deal.
![Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei](http://217.218.67.233/photo/20171022/6d346a1e-7a81-48f0-b0f6-6431fcb30fb8.jpg)
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - “The stance of Europe, including the Netherlands, on the nuclear issue is different from the policy of the United States of America [on it],” Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said on Sunday.
Velayati made the remarks while speaking to reporters after a meeting in Tehran with a senior member of Netherland’s House of Representatives Raymond Knops and his accompanying delegation.
He added that European countries do not accept the US violation of the international nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and would remain committed to the accord.
The senior Iranian official noted that members of the Dutch parliamentary delegation criticized the US failure to remain committed to the JCPOA and reiterated their country’s full commitment to the agreement.
US President Donald Trump delivered an anti-Iran speech on October 13, in which he said he would not be certifying Iran’s compliance with the terms of the JCPOA under a domestic American law, kicking a decision to Congress on whether to restore sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
While Trump did not pull Washington out of the JCPOA, he gave the US Congress 60 days to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions against Tehran that were lifted under the pact. Reimposing sanctions would put the US at odds with other signatories to the accord and the European Union.
Speaking at a non-proliferation conference in Moscow on Saturday, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi criticized the United States for preventing Iran from benefiting from the JCPOA, warning that such a move “will have its consequences.”
“This outpost, negative atmosphere created by the US administration is in fact violation of the JCPOA, preventing Iran from benefiting from sanctions lifting,” Araqchi said.
European Union foreign ministers held a closed-door meeting, chaired by EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, on the best way to proceed on the Iran issue in Luxembourg on October 16. They reaffirmed their support for the historic nuclear agreement and said the accord was working and was a key part of non-proliferation efforts.
Velayati also pointed to his talks with the Dutch parliamentarians and said the Netherlands is keen to make investment in Iran.
Tehran and Amsterdam enjoy growing relations, he said, adding that the Netherlands seeks to improve trade and economic cooperation with Iran.
Source: PressTV