Iran said today that it is no longer bound by "restrictions" related to its nuclear program, while reaffirming its commitment to diplomacy, on the day the international agreement concluded in Vienna 10 years ago expires, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
The agreement, signed in 2015 by Britain, Germany, the United States, Russia and China, aimed to regulate the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of UN sanctions that have severely affected the Iranian economy.
The agreement expires today – October 18, 2025, exactly 10 years after the text was approved in UN Resolution 2231.
Despite its denials, Tehran is suspected by Western countries and its arch-enemy Israel of secretly developing nuclear weapons.
From now on, "all provisions (of the agreement), including restrictions on Iran's nuclear program and related mechanisms, are considered terminated", Iran's Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement.
The agreement limited Tehran to enriching uranium to 3.67% and provided for strict monitoring of its nuclear activities by the UN nuclear watchdog – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In 2018, during the first term of US President Donald Trump, the US withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran, even though Tehran was complying with its commitments to the IAEA at the time, AFP recalls.