Iran accuses EU for upholding Trump's sanctions

Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has criticised the European Union (EU) for continuing the sanctions that former U.S. President Donald Trump had implemented against Tehran.

The minister said it proved the bloc’s continued the use of double standards.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone call with EU foreign policy Chief, Josep Borrell, earlier on Sunday night, in response to recent EU sanctions imposed on Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website reported on Monday.

The EU had imposed sanctions on more than 30 Iranian officials and organisations in late January, including units of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, for their response to the recent protests in the country.

Britain and the United States also slapped new sanctions on Iran.

Regarding Iran’s interaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the safeguards issues, the Iranian top diplomat said Tehran was preparing for a visit to Iran by IAEA Director- General, Rafael Grossi, and joint initiatives were scheduled during his visit.

However, Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the removal of the sanctions on the country.

The United States, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed its unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to reduce some of its nuclear commitments under the deal.

The talks on the JCPOA’s revival began in April 2021 in Vienna. No breakthrough has been achieved after the latest round of talks in August 2022.