Iran says it will not reverse nuclear steps before US sanctions are lifted

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a meeting with his Armenian counterpart in Yerevan on January 27, 2021. (AFP)

• Zarif said the demand “is not practical and will not happen”
• Iran resumed enriching uranium to 20% at its underground Fordow nuclear plant

Tehran will not accept US demands that it reverse an acceleration of its nuclear program before Washington lifts sanctions, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday.
The demand “is not practical and will not happen”, he said at a joint news conference in Istanbul with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.
The new administration of US President Joe Biden has said Tehran must resume compliance with curbs on its nuclear activity under the world powers’ 2015 deal before it can rejoin the pact.
Iran breached the terms of the accord in a step-by-step response to the decision by Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump to abandon the deal in 2018 and reimpose sanctions on Tehran.
Earlier this month, Iran resumed enriching uranium to 20% at its underground Fordow nuclear plant — a level it achieved before the accord.
However, Iran has said it can quickly reverse those violations if US sanctions are removed.