FNA - A senior member of the presiding board of the Iranian parliament blasted the European states' declared mechanism for trade with Tehran - known as Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges - stressing that the prerequisites stated by the Europeans to launch the INSTEX violate the 2015 nuclear deal.

"The conditions that Europe has raised for the INSTEX violate the nuclear deal and Iran's national independence," Seyed Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi said on Saturday.

He reminded Europe and the US of their undertakings under the nuclear deal to facilitate Iran's access to global trade, and said, "Iran's main goal of attending the nuclear deal talks was removing some economic restrictions."

In a news meeting in Bucharest late Thursday, German, British and French foreign ministers officially announced the commissioning of the European special financial mechanism known as INSTEX.

In reaction, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said that the special financial mechanism for trade with Iran launched by the UK, France, and Germany is a first step which should be followed by quicker implementation of the EU's May 2018 undertakings.

Qassemi said that Tehran welcomes the EU�s announcement of its special financial mechanism for trade with Iran, but considers it as a first step that should be followed by quicker implementation of other commitments.

�The Islamic Republic of Iran believes the recent move by the European Union to register and announce its special financial mechanism (for trade) with Iran is Europe�s first step in fulfilling its obligations towards Iran as per a May 2018 statement by the foreign ministers of Iran and the three European countries,� Qassemi said in a statement.

He said Tehran welcomes the move, but at the same time calls for the full implementation of all EU obligations in the shortest time possible.

�Following the US withdrawal from JCPOA, despite political positions held by the EU about protecting the deal and the need for Iran to gain economic benefits and limited moves by the EU such as updating its blocking statute, unfortunately we have not seen tangible results and practical moves to Iran�s benefit,� he said.

�The EU�s move to create the special financial mechanism was carried out too late and the E3 and the EU must ensure that the move will compensate part of the illegal US sanctions,� he said.

�The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready for continuing constructive engagement with the European Union and its member states based on respect and mutual interests,� he said.

�Meanwhile, considering the limited, incomplete and long overdue fulfillment of EU obligations outlined in the May 2018 statement, Iran believes the bloc must accelerate the move and the fulfillment of its other obligations to let the Iranian nation reap the economic benefits of JCPOA,� he said.