Iran on Thursday rejected the Group of Seven foreign ministers’ final statement, accusing the bloc of lying about Iranian nuclear activities and alleged support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the G7 grouping of wealthy democracies (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States) urged Tehran to resume full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and to engage in direct talks with the United States.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei called the request "duplicitous and interventionist", saying the G7 had ignored what he described as years of unlawful pressure and military actions by the United States and Israel.
“The United States, because of its unlawful and unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018 and its military attack on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, is the main party responsible for the current situation,” he said, referring to Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
He added that the three European parties “followed Washington's suit, failed in implementing their commitments and dismissed all of Iran’s diplomatic initiatives with clear bad faith.”
Tehran and the United States engaged in five rounds of negotiations before Israel launched a surprise military campaign on Iran in June. The attacks were capped off by US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The negotiations have not resumed despite US entreaties.
Baqaei also criticized the G7's backing of the European move to trigger the snapback mechanism under the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 which led to the restoration of UN sanctions on Iran in late September.
“The repetition of the irresponsible position of G7 member states in endorsing the unlawful and unjustified action amounts to endorsing an internationally delinquent act,” he said.
The G7 communiqué called on UN member states to adhere to their obligations following what the ministers referred to as the legal activation of the mechanism.
Ukraine war
The Iranian spokesman rejected the G7’s allegation that Iran is supplying military assistance to Russia.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has no involvement in the Ukraine conflict,” he said. “Those who accuse others should correct their own mistaken policies on global peace and security instead of insisting on a sense of superiority.”
The G7 ministers condemned what they called the provision of military assistance to Russia by North Korea and Iran, reaffirming support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Iranian-designed drones have been key to Russia's war effort against Ukraine. However, Tehran has long denied it provides any military support for the Russian war efforts, insisting that the drones had been supplied before the Ukraine war started.
