Tehran

Iran has recently rejected accusations levelled against it by NATO members, including its military cooperation with Russia against Ukraine and its nuclear program. In a statement published on its website on Thursday, the Iranian embassy in Brussels responded to a statement by NATO leaders at a summit in Lithuania on Tuesday. The statement accused Iran of providing military aid to Russia against Ukraine and expressed concern about Iran increasing its nuclear arsenal.

Describing NATO’s allegations as baseless, the embassy said Iran has maintained its neutral role in relation to the Russia-Ukraine war and as a law-abiding state. With regard to nuclear activities, Iran is still determined to honour its obligations within the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran said that some NATO members have repeatedly violated the agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The NATO summit statement also called on Iran to stop its military cooperation with Russia. Iran struck a deal with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to place some curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions on the country. But the US pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and unilaterally reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, Western countries have been accusing Iran of providing drones to Moscow for military use.