Tehran blames Europeans for managing the Iranian nuclear issue. The head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization (OIEA) said on Sunday (September 8th) that Tehran had no choice but to reduce its commitments under the Vienna agreement on its nuclear program. because of the "broken promises" of the Europeans.

Ali Akbar Salehi made the remarks alongside Cornel Feruta, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), visiting Tehran.

The visit follows the announcement by Iran of the launch of advanced centrifuges to increase its stock of enriched uranium. This initiative represents a new step in the reduction of Iran's nuclear commitments made in 2015 under the Vienna Agreement.

Tehran began in May to withdraw from its obligations, in response to Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the agreement in May 2018 and the inability of the European parties to the text (Germany, France, United Kingdom) to help it bypass sanctions reinstated by the United States.

"The European Union (EU) was supposed to replace the United States but, unfortunately, it failed to keep its promises," Ali Akbar Salehi told reporters.

The IAEA chief also met Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, according to an AFP journalist.

The agency said its inspectors in the field would soon report on the situation created by Tehran's decision to start new centrifuges.

"The ways of dialogue are always open"

On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that "the ways of dialogue are still open, including today" with Tehran, which must however give up "such actions that hinder the process of de-escalation that we want to put in place. "

The 2015 Vienna agreement provides for the lifting of part of the international sanctions that have isolated Iran for years, in exchange for a drastic limitation of its nuclear program to ensure that the country does not equip itself with the weapon atomic.

By reducing its commitments, Tehran - which has always denied the nuclear bomb - intends to put pressure on the parties to the agreement to help it bypass US sanctions.

Since May, Tehran has increased its stocks of enriched uranium beyond the limit set by the agreement, and enriches this ore to 4.5%, higher than the ceiling set (3.67%), but very far from threshold required for military use.

With AFP