Iran’s supreme leader on Sunday issued a “final” ultimatum to the US, saying that Washington could only return to the 2015 nuclear deal signed by world powers by lifting all sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
“Iran has fulfilled all of its obligations under the deal, not the United States and the three European countries … If they want Iran to return to its obligations, in practice the United States must … lift all sanctions,” said supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei. , according to Reuters, quoting Iranian state television.
Then, after verifying that all sanctions have been properly lifted, we will return to full compliance … It is the irreversible and final decision and all Iranian officials have consensus on it, ”he continued.
Former President Donald Trump again imposed harsh sanctions against Tehran after he pulled out of the accord in May 2018.
The deal between the Obama administration and Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, and the European Union reduced sanctions against Iran in exchange for reducing the supply of enriched uranium needed to fuel nuclear weapons.
But since the US withdrawal, Iran has exceeded the deal’s limits and has begun to build up its inventory by using advanced centrifuges for enrichment.
President Biden has indicated his willingness to return to the nuclear deal if Iran adheres strictly to the terms of the pact, and a group of House Democrats signed a letter urging him to do so in December.
The world powers that have still signed the deal have also urged Biden to rejoin the pact.