US sanctions waivers to Iran may slow down its nuclear program, envoy says - TASS

The US restoring sanctions waivers to Iran which allowed it to use the assistance of other countries in the sphere of nuclear energy may slow down the implementation of Iran’s nuclear program, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said on Saturday.

"Clear provisions of the Iranian nuclear deal are totally misinterpreted by opponents. The US maximum pressure policy remains the major factor of the advancement of the Iranian nuclear programme. Probably waivers can slow it down," he wrote on Twitter.

On Friday, a high-ranking US State Department official reported that the US administration made a decision to restore the sanctions waivers which allowed Iran to receive assistance on peaceful nuclear projects from other countries, including Russia. The official stressed that the waiver "is not a concession to Iran," nor is it "a signal that we are about to reach an understanding on a mutual return to full implementation of the" Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).