G7 'unilateral, biased' communiqué seeks to appease US: Iran

"It is a pity that members of this group are influenced by Washington's illegal and bullying behavior," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Sunday, adding that "by repeating false accusations against Iran," the G7 countries are seeking to appease the United States, which is only one out of the seven members of the group.

The Iranian official denounced the G7's unrealistic stance on Iran, once again reemphasizing the Islamic Republic's constructive and undeniable role in strengthening stability and security and fighting terrorism in the Middle East as well as the peaceful and defensive nature of the country's missile program.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran deems as unconstructive, totally one-sided and unilateral those paragraphs of the communiqué, which contain bogus accusations emanating from incorrect interpretation of [Iran’s] peaceful nuclear program, regional role and its missile program,” the Iranian spokesman said.

Qassemi added that such claims are in clear violation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the commitments of the three European parties - Britain, France and Germany - to the agreement.

US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington in May last year from the landmark nuclear agreement, reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries -- the US, France, Britain, Russia, and China plus Germany -- and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Under the deal, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.
Despite Washington's withdrawal, Iran has not left the deal yet, but stressed that the remaining signatories to the agreement have to work to offset the negative impacts of the US pullout for Iran if they want Tehran to remain in it.

Qassemi emphasized that Iran has honored its international commitments and proved its goodwill to maintain interaction, dialogue and connection with the international community.

Iran believes that "raising unrealistic issues as well as making futile and useless attempts" against Tehran will not have any impact on the Iranian nation’s resolve or the country’s pursuit of its national interests in the region and across the world, he said.

The Iranian official further condemned the violation of fundamental principles of the JCPOA by its three European signatories and called for their straightforward explanation in that regard, noting that Iran would pursue the case through mechanisms pertaining to the agreement.

At the end of a two-day meeting in western France, foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States - issued a communiqué accusing Iran of involvement in destabilizing activities in the region, providing military, financial and political support to certain non-state actors in countries such as Lebanon and Syria, and developing ballistic expertise, drones and missile capabilities.