MNA – Chief of Staff of Iranian President Mahmoud Vaezi referred to the government’s decision to reduce some commitments to the nuclear deal (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), saying Tehran will not quash the decision and will move forward as planned.

“We will not revoke what we have announced. We will implement our plans [to revisit JCPOA obligations] during the first and second 60-day periods,” Vaezi told reporters on the sidelines of the Cabinet session on Wednesday.

Iran announced last week to revisit certain aspects of JCPOA in the face of lack of commitments from the other signatories to the agreement, stating that the remaining parties to the deal have a 60-day period to fulfill their obligations, particularly those regarding Tehran’s economic interests in the banking and energy sectors, before reducing further commitments to the agreement stage by stage.

The decision was made in the wake of Washington's move to ramp up pressure against Iran, by re-imposing new sanctions, including restrictions on Iran's low-level uranium enrichment, and ending the sanctions waivers for Iran’s major oil clients.

According to a report earlier today, Tehran has officially halted some of its commitments to the deal due to an order by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Vaezi further said that Iran will not accept US President Donald Trump’s offer to call the White House for negotiations, asserting that Tehran will not call them under duress, and it will be the Americans who will be forced to change their behavior in the future.

“President Rouhani has already asserted Iran’s commitment to the nuclear deal, and has said that those who withdrew from JCPA should return to the deal first,” he noted.