EU decision to continue Iran bans illegal: Afkham
Iran Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham says the European Union decision to maintain sanctions against Iranian firms is a “one-sided and politically-motivated” move which lacks necessary legal basis.
“This move is questionable and surprising, particularly considering the Geneva negotiations and joint efforts made to take the first steps towards its implementation,” Afkham added.
“We strongly reject this issue and recommend the European Union to align itself with the Geneva deal and tread the path of strengthening mutual confidence,” the Iranian spokesperson stated.
On Tuesday, an official of the European Union said the bloc is maintaining sanctions against all but two Iranian firms that won challenges to the bloc’s sanctions regime in EU courts in September.
The bloc’s move came just days after Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – Russia, China, France, Britain and the US – plus Germany reached a deal in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24 to lay the groundwork for the full resolution of the West’s decade-old dispute with Iran over its nuclear energy program.
In exchange for Iran’s confidence-building measure to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the six world powers agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
