The Iranian Foreign Ministry stressed on Friday that Tehran views a decision by the European Union, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to retain sanctions on Iran as illegal and contrary to the obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2231.

Britain, France, and Germany said, "EU and UK sanctions [against Iran] will be maintained," according to a statement from the British Foreign Ministry released on Thursday. According to the statement, the Ministry said the decision had been based on "continued Iranian non-compliance with their... commitments and ongoing nuclear escalation."

"[Iran] considers a decision by the #EU & 3 European countries not to abide by their commitments, in the eighth year of the #JCPOA, illegal & contrary to their obligations under the JCPOA & Resolution 2231, & a measure that creates tension & is accompanied by malicious intentions," the Iranian Foreign Ministry posted Friday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Ministry pointed out that "Iran’s measures are completely legitimate" from a legal point of view and that "the Europeans themselves have acknowledged it."

"In response to the illegal withdrawal of the United States from #JCPOA & the re-imposition of cruel sanctions, the IR of #Iran took retaliatory steps in accordance with its rights under Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA," it clarified.

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The Iranian Foreign Ministry made it clear that it was unacceptable that the EU, France, Germany, and the UK considered the move a reaction to Iran’s measures, which were "completely legal" and served as a response to the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, as well as to "the inaction by the EU & the three European countries."

🔽 Iranian FM reacts to EU statement on non-fulfillment of obligations by union, three European countries

From a legal point of view, #Iran’s measures are completely legitimate & the Europeans themselves have acknowledged it. pic.twitter.com/jlqaWXsaJ6

— Iran Foreign Ministry 🇮🇷 (@IRIMFA_EN) September 15, 2023

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday he had been notified by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the UK of their intention to uphold sanctions against Iran after October 18 due to Tehran's alleged non-compliance with its nuclear obligations.

The October 18 deadline was agreed upon under the JCPOA, a 2015 nuclear deal Iran had signed with the three European countries, as well as China, Russia, and the US. The deal agreed was aimed at reducing Iran's peaceful nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of unlawful sanctions imposed on the country.

But the accord began to fall apart in 2018 when then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it and began reimposing sanctions, and Iran retaliated by dropping some of its obligations under the agreement. Efforts to revive the deal have been fruitless so far with European-led talks on hold since 2022.

It is noteworthy that a couple of days ago, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian affirmed that Iran is prepared to engage in negotiations regarding the draft agreement for the JCPOA.

Read more: US, UK on a sanctions spree targeting Iranian officials, media