MOSCOW: Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers is in danger of “falling apart” without the compliance of the United States and the European Union, Russia’s foreign minister warned Monday after meeting with his Iranian counterpart in Moscow.
The 2015 deal between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. The US withdrew from the accord last year and imposed crippling economic sanctions that block Iran from selling crude oil abroad.
“Because of the destructive line that Washington keeps towing, this important achievement of international diplomacy... is in danger of falling apart,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding that “colleagues from the European Union” were not fully complying with the agreement either.
In response to the US sanctions, Iran has pressured the European signatories to find a way to limit the impact on the Iranian economy. Tehran has slowly inched toward ceasing its own compliance with the terms of the deal. Last week, for example, the country began new operations at a heavy water nuclear reactor,.
Iran’s moves have been condemned by Western governments as unwelcome and escalating tensions in the region, while Russia and China have repeatedly blamed the US
After meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Monday, Lavrov said Russia would demand full compliance from both the US and the EU, in which case Iran would be able to return to fulfilling its obligations in accordance with the deal.
Otherwise the agreement should be considered “no longer existing,” he said.
Russia warns Iran nuclear deal in danger of ‘falling apart’
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Russia warns Iran nuclear deal in danger of ‘falling apart’
- The 2015 deal between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program
- The US withdrew from the accord last year and imposed crippling economic sanctions that block Iran from selling crude oil abroad
One dead in Israeli strike on south Lebanon
- Lebanon’s health ministry said one person was killed in a strike on the village of Rub Thalatheen
- The Israeli army said in a statement that it killed a Hezbollah operative
BEIRUT: An Israeli strike on south Lebanon killed one person on Saturday, Lebanese authorities said, as the Israeli army said it targeted an operative from the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 truce that sought to end more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war with Hezbollah.
It usually says it is targeting members of the group or its infrastructure, and has kept troops in five south Lebanon border areas that it deems strategic.
Lebanon’s health ministry said one person was killed in a strike on the village of Rub Thalatheen, close to the Israeli border.
The state-run National News Agency reported a man was killed in the strike while “carrying out repair work on the roof of a house.”
The Israeli army said in a statement that it killed a Hezbollah operative “who took part in attempts to reestablish Hezbollah terror infrastructure in the Markaba area,” adjacent to Rub Thalatheen.
It called the alleged activities “a violation of the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
This month, Lebanon’s army said it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area south of the Litani river, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border.
Israel, which accuses Hezbollah of rearming, has criticized the army’s progress as insufficient, while Hezbollah has rejected calls to surrender its weapons.
More than 360 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of health ministry reports.
