Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has given European powers another two months to save a 2015 nuclear deal, but warned that Tehran is still preparing for further significant breaches of the pact that would have “extraordinary effects”.
His statement came as Iranian officials gave mixed signals in response to a French proposal to save the agreement by offering Iran about $US15 billion ($A22.3 billion) in credit lines until year-end if Tehran comes fully back into compliance.
One senior Iranian official said it would comply if it got that amount in credit lines or oil sales, while state-run Press TV said Iran had rejected a proposal for an EU loan of that amount.
Iran emerged from years of economic isolation after agreeing a deal with world powers in 2015 to curb its nuclear development program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, US President Donald Trump abandoned the deal last year and reimposed sanctions.
Tehran responded with two separate moves that breached some of the terms of the deal, although it says it still aims to save the pact.
Rouhani had threatened to take further measures by September 5 unless France and the other European signatories of the pact did more to protect Iran from the impact of the US penalties.
Read the article in Shepparton News. (by AAP Newswire)