IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the IAEA Board of Governors that since “Iran announced in January that its nuclear program would no longer be ‘subject to any restrictions in the operational sphere’… the Agency has not observed any changes to Iran’s implementation of its nuclear-related commitments in connection with this particular announcement, or in the level of cooperation by Iran in relation to Agency verification and monitoring activities under the JCPOA”. He further noted “with serious concern that for over four months, Iran has denied us access to two locations and that, for almost a year, it has not engaged in substantive discussions to clarify our questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities. This is adversely affecting the Agency’s ability to resolve the questions and to provide credible assurance of the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities at these locations in Iran”. Grossi urged “Iran to cooperate immediately and fully with the Agency, including by providing prompt access to the locations specified by us”.

Iran’s foreign ministry stated that it “categorically rejects the allegations of the UN Secretariat” as contained in the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of resolution 2231, and further “expresses its deep concern over the abuse of the UN Secretariat for political purposes”. Raising its concern “that the report has been prepared under direction of the U.S.”, the ministry went on to urge “that the UN Secretariat not move in the pre-planned U.S. scenario to prevent the lifting of Iran's arms restrictions and not assist a violating State in this dangerous process by circulating such unlawful reports”.

Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson stated that “if there will be grounds for prisoners swap between two countries [ie, Iran and the U.S.], we will pursue the innocence of the Iranian citizens who are accused of circumventing U.S. unilateral and baseless sanctions”.

President Rouhani indicated that “since we are approaching a point [in October] where all Iran’s arms embargo are being lifted based on resolution 2231, they [ie, the U.S.] are angry and upset about this important day in the history of Iran's defence and intend to prepare a resolution and take it to the Security Council. We expect the four permanent members of the Security Council to stand up to this conspiracy… Especially from our two friendly countries, Russia and China”. Rouhani further maintained that “the Americans need to know that no matter what they do, Iran's defence capabilities will be developed under all circumstances”.

Iran’s IAEA mission submitted to the agency’s secretariat an Explanatory Note responding to the Director General’s 5 June report, along with a separate information note. Iran’s envoy said Tehran “expects that the Agency does not take any information at face value” and that “the Agency and the Member states have the reasonability to show wisdom in addressing such issues in a diligent manner”. He further indicated that “while Iran stands ready to continue its consultations with the Agency with a view to settle the thematic differences and resolve the issues at hand as soon as possible, release of the current report by the Director General is received with deep regret and disappointment”.

Iran’s judiciary announced that a court had issued, and Iran’s supreme court confirmed, the death sentence for an individual “who had been connected with Mossad and CIA services and had collected and transmitted intelligence on the location of Martyr General [Qassem] Soleimani”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov wrote to the UN Secretary-General to posit that “the United Nations should not become hostage to the political situation in the U.S., which has decided to withdraw from the plan [ie, JCPOA]… There are no valid grounds for raising in the Security Council the issue of an arms embargo against Iran”. “A party which disowns or does not fulfill its own obligations cannot be recognised as retaining the rights which it claims to derive from a relationship”, he added. The following day, the EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, asserted that “the U.S. has withdrawn from the JCPOA, and now they cannot claim that they are still part of the JCPOA in order to deal with this issue from the JCPOA agreement. They withdraw. It’s clear”.

In a letter to the IAEA Director General, Iran’s envoy to the agency described the 27 May U.S. decision to cancel JCPOA nuclear cooperation waivers as part of a series of U.S. actions “intended to substantially prevent Iran, other participant and the international community from implementing their commitments under the JCPOA”. “These acts by the U.S. not only continue a significant material breach of the [UN] Security Council resolution 2231, but also are in clear violation of its obligations under the relevant IAEA instruments”, the envoy asserted. He went on to caution that “while the Islamic Republic of Iran is entitled to take remedial measures, which the Agency will be duly informed at any stage of its development, the U.S. shall bear full responsibility for the consequences of its wrongful acts”.

Three days after a prisoner exchange facilitated by the Swiss, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson suggested that “if the Swiss government continues to cooperate, we are ready to repatriate the rest of the Iranians who are in U.S. custody”. Relatedly, an Iranian government spokesperson opined that “no sign of the U.S. administration’s inclination towards serious and effective talks can be seen in these tweets [by President Trump thanking Iran and calling for “the big deal”]. If America is eager to hold talks with Iran, it can return to the JCPOA and continue talks with Iran along with the remaining parties to the accord”.

Iran released Michael White, a U.S. citizen detained in 2018, and the U.S. allowed Majid Taheri, an Iranian-American dual national jailed for sanctions violations, to visit Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said he was “pleased that Dr. Majid Taheri and Mr. White will soon be joining their families… this can happen for all prisoners. No need for cherry picking. Iranian hostages held in, and on behalf of, the U.S. should come home”. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted that “while we are pleased that Iran was constructive in this matter, there is more work to do. The U.S. will not rest until we bring every American detained in Iran and around the world back home to their loved ones”. President Trump tweeted “thank you to Iran, it shows a deal is possible!”, and a few hours later, again by Twitter, said: “Thank you to Iran. Don’t wait until after the U.S. election to make the big deal. I’m going to win. You’ll make a better deal now!”. Zarif replied: “we achieved humanitarian swap despite your subordinates’ efforts… and we had a deal when you entered office. Iran and other JCPOA participants never left the table. Your advisors – mostly fired by now – made a dumb bet. Up to you do decide when you want to fix it”.   

A senior IRGC official claimed that “we are in possession of precise intelligence on the Americans pressuring the anti-revolutionary forces and terrorists to carry out operations and foment insecurity in Iran or wait for a halt of their financial support from the U.S.”. He also argued that “the Americans have since the start of this year begun extensive moves in the neighbouring states to equip, train and back up the terrorists to enable them to disrupt security of the borders and the nearby towns in a specially-designed situation”. The official added: “the Americans are well aware of the Islamic Republic's power and know that our response will be equal to the level of their aggression and threats”.

President Rouhani reiterated to his Finnish counterpart Iran’s position that “as soon as the EU starts complying with its eleven-paragraph commitments under the JCPOA, we will also be committed to our commitments as well”. He also remarked with respect to INSTEX and the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement: “unfortunately, these financial channels have not been effective yet and the European Union should take more active steps to activate these financial mechanisms”.

Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson stated that “Iran practices its free trade rights with Venezuela and we are ready to send more ships if Caracas demands more supplies from Iran”. Relatedly, a senior Iranian diplomat maintained that Venezuela offered “good markets for the Iranian oil sector and downstream products… If they agree, we plan to continue our cooperation with them in this sector”. He also indicated that “Venezuela has demanded for help in repairing some of its installations and their demands are under study”. Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani declared that “the claim of U.S. superpower, threat of waging war, assassination and sanctions were turned ‘null and void’ by the presence of Iranian oil tankers in Caribbean”.

The EU and E3 (France, Germany and the UK) jointly announced that they “deeply regret the U.S. decision to end the three waivers covering key JCPOA nuclear projects in Iran”. Describing the projects as promoting “the non-proliferation interests of all”, the EU/E3 indicated that they were “consulting with our partners to assess the consequences of this decision by the U.S.” They also noted that “we have worked continuously with the aim of ensuring the full and effective implementation of commitments under the JCPOA, in particular the return of Iran to full compliance with its nuclear commitments without delay”. The same day, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson underlined that the waiver termination ignored “Iran’s innate rights and disrupts international public order”, warning that “if it leads to negative impacts on Iran’s nuclear rights in accordance with international regulations and the provisions of the JCPOA, it will take the necessary practical and legal steps”.

Iranian media reported that “three Iranian border guards were killed during clashes with a terrorist outfit” in western Iran, with an unspecified number of “armed terrorists” also killed in the incident.

South Korea announced a shipment of medical supplies to Iran “as the first case of the export of humanitarian goods to Iran that resumed on 6 April”. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Korea continued close consultations with the U.S. and Iran in order to facilitate humanitarian trade with Iran with won-currency deposits”, leading to the reopening in April of “humanitarian trade… which was suspended after the U.S. tightened sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran in September 2019”. “The ROK government will continue consultations with the U.S. and Iran on ways to broaden the scope of trade items to include not only medicine and medical equipment, which are currently the main trade items, but also foods and agricultural products”, the statement added. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently indicated that “we have held two long years of negotiations on this matter, however, the Koreans listen to the Americans, and they have been waiting to receive a green light from the U.S.”. He added that “we are willing to retake all our assets from South Korea; this is a small but positive step, which comes with procrastination, to remind the Koreans that the long-standing ties between the two countries should not be marred by the interventions of a third country”.

Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami asserted that “with the delivery of [112] domestically-built offensive boats to the IRGC’s naval fleet, the security belt of the Persian Gulf, specially the strategic Strait of Hormuz, will be more tightened than before”. IRGC Commander Hossein Salami also emphasised that “we will not bow to enemies… Defence is our logic in war but not in the sense of passivity against the enemy. Our operations and tactics are offensive and we have shown it in the battlefield”. He went on to declare that “the most important and dangerous part of our power is unknown. Our enemies will see this power the day when they pursue an evil intention against this land… they will get to see the real firepower of our forces at the sea and in the sky, and the battlefield will turn into a hell for the enemies of Iran and Islam”.

An unnamed U.S. official indicated that “we have been in contact with the shipowners” of two Venezuela-bound tankers bearing Iranian fuel, “and they are under great risk for sanctions”.  The official further indicated “currently, the ships are not headed to Venezuela”.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, asserted that “President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign has constrained and countered Iran in unprecedented ways. We have deprived the clerical rulers of vast amounts of revenue. We have disrupted their financial networks and their sectarian networks. Because of our pressure, Iran’s leaders are facing a decision: either negotiate with us or manage economic collapse… The U.S. will continue its successful strategy of maximum economic pressure and diplomatic isolation”. Hook also noted that “we are pressing ahead with diplomacy. We are working methodically to build support in the [UN Security] Council to extend the [arms] embargo. We have drafted a resolution, we certainly hope it will pass, and our efforts are focused on securing passage in the Council”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson responded: “we do shatter your maximum pressure campaign with maximum resistance, stiffening resolve and reliance on the national capabilities…It is you who face a choice: either admit the defeat and start respecting the Iranian nation or further keep being hated, humiliating and isolating yourselves”.

The U.S. ended “the sanctions waiver covering all remaining JCPOA-originating nuclear projects in Iran – the Arak reactor conversion, the provision of enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor and the export of Iran’s spent and scrap research reactor fuel”, effective in 60 days. A separate waiver for the Bushehr plant was extended by 90 days. The U.S. also designated two Iranians “for engaging or attempting to engage in activities that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction”. Secretary Pompeo stressed that “the [Iranian] regime’s nuclear extortion will lead to increased pressure on Iran and further isolate the regime from the international community”. An Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran spokesperson indicated that the waiver termination “will not in practice have any effect on Iran’s work… Of course America wants its actions to have an effect in line with pressure on Iran, but in practice nothing will happen”.

President Rouhani remarked that the U.S. sought “to interfere in the normal trade between Iran and a friendly country [ie, Venezuela] in carrying an oil product, and this is something that has nothing to do with them and is not compatible with any law”. Rouhani went on to assess that “if there had been no unity within the country between the government, other branches and the armed forces, the Americans might have succeeded in their aggression and [caused] another Gibraltar in the Caribbean, but unity and solidarity prevented such a thing from happening”.

Speaking with his Swiss counterpart, President Rouhani discussed the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA) and maintained that “creating this mechanism can be very effective in this difficult situation, and we expect this financial mechanism to become more active and Iran's financial resources in some countries be processed through this route”.

The Fortune, one of five Iranian fuel tankers en route to Venezuela, entered Venezuelan waters  and proceeded with Venezuelan military escort. President Nicolás Maduro emphasised that his country and Iran had “the right to trade freely”, adding: “revolutionary peoples who will never kneel down before the North American empire”. The U.S. State Department contended that “Venezuelans need free and fair presidential elections leading to democracy and economic recovery, not Maduro’s expensive deals with another pariah state”.

President Rouhani asserted that “some U.S. actions in different parts of the world have created unacceptable conditions, but by no means we do not initiate escalation of tensions and conflict”. He further warned that “if our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face any problems caused by the Americans, they will face problems as well… We have always considered the legitimate right to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity and to serve our national interests, and we hope that the Americans will not make a mistake”. Rouhani also emphasised that “the security of our region, especially maritime security in the region, is provided by the countries of the region, and we have always stated our readiness to cooperate more with our neighbours”.

The chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces asserted that the military maintained “a thorough intelligence command of the status, location, tactics and movements of [Iran’s] enemies big and small, including America’s adventurist, terrorist and antihuman military, in the region and remote territories”. “[We] will give an appropriate response to any miscalculated move by those forces against… Iran’s national interests anywhere in the world”, he added. Relatedly, the Defence Ministry indicated that “Iran’s defence industry is focused on breaking the sanctions and upgrading its deterrent power as it did over the past forty years… We cannot talk to an irrational and coercive enemy except with authority and from a position of power”.

The State Department released a fact sheet entitled “Iran’s Assassinations and Terrorist Activity Abroad”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson described the document as “an amalgam of fantasy and bogus accusations”, and contended that “the U.S. has by no means the political, legal and moral competence to make a judgement about other countries, and has better deal with its own nasty and dark record first”.

President Rouhani stated that “resisting the oppressors and supporting the oppressed is one of the main pillars of the Islamic Republic of Iran… the people of Islamic Iran do not accept or tolerate oppression against the Palestinians in any way”. Rouhani went on to indicate that “we are pleased that we are witnessing the formation of a new government in Iraq… and the disagreements in Afghanistan have also led to a good agreement”.

The U.S. designated “Iran’s Interior Minister for his role in serious human rights abuses against Iranians, as well as seven senior officials of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) and a provincial commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)”. Also sanctioned was “Bonyad Taavon NAJA, which is translated as LEF Cooperative Foundation, along with its director and members of the board of trustees”. According to the Treasury Department, the foundation is “controlled by the LEF and is active in Iran’s energy, construction, services, technology and banking industries”. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the action was “a message of support to the Iranian people that we will continue to support their demands for transparent and accountable governance and speak out for those who are being silenced by this regime”. He further urged “technology companies in the U.S. and globally to do their part to improve the free flow of information to the Iranian people”.  Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson argued that the designations “indicate the weakness, desperation and confusion of the U.S. regime” and were “another blatant violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231”.

The IRGC revealed that it had clashed with a group of eight “anti-revolution terrorists” in western Iran, killing two and injuring four.

Defence Minister Amir Hatami maintained that “any disruption to [our] tankers is against international regulations and security… the Americans and others know that we will certainly not hesitate to react to this issue, and if the harassment intensifies and continues, it will certainly face a decisive response”. The following day, the Venezuelan Defence Minister indicated that when the Iranian tankers “enter our exclusive economic zone, they will be escorted by Bolivarian National Armed Forces boats and planes to welcome them in and thank the Iranian people for their solidarity and cooperation”.

Multiple media reports citing unnamed intelligence officials suggested that Israel was behind a 9 May hack of an Iranian port facility. An Iranian official acknowledged that “some [minor] disruptions at the computer systems last week can be the result of a cyberattack”, though port officials maintained “there has been no disruption in operations” at the facility.

President Rouhani told his Iraqi counterpart that “Iran is alongside the Iraqi government and nation like before, and favours protecting Iraqi sovereignty and non-interference of foreign powers in the future of the country’s government and people”. According to an Iraqi readout, the two presidents “discussed the ways of strengthening Baghdad-Tehran relations” and “agreed and emphasised that enhancing Iraq's sovereignty and security is of particular importance in regional and international levels”.

President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing agreement. Iran’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, along with counterparts from China, Russia and Pakistan, issued a joint communique welcoming the agreement, while maintaining that they “support the process of peace and reconciliation under the ownership and guidance of Afghanistan, and believe that inclusive intra-Afghan negotiations will be the only way for national reconciliation and an immediate end to the prolonged disputes”. The four countries also urged “foreign forces to withdraw in an orderly and responsible manner, in such a way that the situation in Afghanistan would experience a trouble-free transition”. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also congratulated Ghani and Abdullah and “noted that he regretted the time lost during the political impasse”. Pompeo further “reiterated that the priority for the U.S. remains a political settlement to end the conflict”.

After a U.S. official indicated that Washington was “looking at measures that can be taken” in response to Iranian tankers en route to Venezuela, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, in a letter to the UN Secretary-General, “warned the U.S. about sending troops to the Caribbean Sea with the aim of interfering with the transfer of Iran’s fuel to Venezuela”. Zarif also “underlined Iran’s right to adopt appropriate and necessary measures to counter these threats”. The Iranian foreign ministry also summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, whose country represents U.S. interests, and requested he “relay to Washington’s officials Iran’s serious warning over any possible threat by the U.S. against Iranian tankers”. According to the foreign ministry, a senior Iranian diplomat told the ambassador that “any threat against Iranian tankers will be met with Iran’s immediate and firm response, and the U.S. government will be responsible for its consequences”.

President Rouhani remarked that “there is a strange group in the White House, and when you look at the regime’s secretary of state, it looks like as if he has never seen or read the alphabet of politics in his entire life. America has always been a terrorist, but this is so unprecedented that even during coronavirus, it makes entering medicine to the country difficult”.

Iran and Syria were listed among five countries that the U.S. State Department “certified under Section 40A(a) of the Arms Export Control Act as ‘not cooperating fully’ with U.S. counterterrorism efforts in 2019… This certification prohibits the sale or license for export of defence articles and services and notifies the U.S. public and international community that these countries are not fully cooperating with U.S. counterterrorism efforts”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently contended: “with a history of founding, funding and arming different terrorist groups, a record of state terrorism, and its outright support for another terrorist regime, the U.S. is not a good yardstick for measuring anti-terrorism efforts”.

Nineteen Iranian navy personnel were killed and another fifteen injured in an accident during a naval exercise off the country’s southern coast. Their vessel, Konarak, was reportedly struck by a missile fired by an Iranian warship.

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif indicated that Sirous Asgari, an Iranian national detained in the U.S., “has been acquitted of charges and if his coronavirus test proves negative, he will return to the country with the first flight”. Zarif also told a parliamentary committee that “there is no problem in exchange of prisoners and detainees between Iran and the U.S. and we do not need negotiations and we will not hold any negotiations with the U.S. as well”, according to a parliamentary spokesperson.  A senior U.S. official subsequently addressed Zarif by saying that “after months of stalling the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as we have been trying to return Sirous Asgari, you suddenly woke up one day recently and say you actually want him back... We have eleven of your citizens who are illegal aliens who we have been trying to return to your country. You suddenly say you want them back, so how about you send a charter plane over and we’ll return all eleven at once?” Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson responded: “stop talking rubbish! Since September 2018, Zarif has put a 'universal prisoners swap' offer on the table and urged the U.S. to act responsibly with the Iranian hostages in the U.S. and elsewhere. Your regime has reacted callously and risked their lives… Let our citizens go!” Relatedly, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to his Swiss counterpart and “thanked the foreign minister for Switzerland’s continued and constructive role as our protecting power in Iran and for its assistance in repatriating U.S. citizens from Iran”.

A government spokesperson reiterated that “there is readiness to exchange all prisoners and discuss their release without any preconditions, but the U.S. has refused to respond… We hope that in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, which threatens the lives of Iranian citizens in U.S. prisons, the American government will finally put caring for human lives ahead of politics”.

In a statement marking the second anniversary of the U.S.’s JCPOA withdrawal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo maintained that “we have built the strongest sanctions in history and prevented Iran from funding and equipping terrorists with many billions of dollars. Today, the American people are safer and the Middle East is more peaceful than if we had stayed in the JCPOA”. Pompeo further appealed to “the international community to join us to stop the world’s leading state sponsor of anti-Semitism”, and pledged that “the U.S. will exercise all diplomatic options to ensure the UN arms embargo [on Iran] is extended. We will not accept their status quo level of violence and terror. And we will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson reacted by contending: “only a rogue regime with zero sense of moral responsibility can take pride in dishonoring its international commitments and violating international law. Mark my words: 8 May 2018 will remain an everlasting disgrace for American polity”.

In a letter to the UN Secretary-General, Israel’s ambassador asserted that “in November 2019, imagery surfaced of four Iranian ‘Dehlaviyeh’ anti-tank guided missile systems being employed by militias associated with General Haftar’s forces in Libya. The presence of this advanced Iranian-manufactured system on Libyan soil is another grave violation of Security Council resolution 2231”.

In a letter to the UN Secretary-General on the second anniversary of the U.S.’s JCPOA withdrawal, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif argued that “it is time for the Security Council and its members to ensure and guarantee the full implementation of the JCPOA by all sides…the Council should strongly condemn the U.S. for (re)imposing its illegal sanctions against Iranians in violation of the UN Charter, UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) and international law. The U.S. should be held responsible for these damages, and the Iranian nation must be compensated adequately”. Zarif further emphasised that “Iran remains prepared to continue dialogue at all levels to ensure the full implementation of the JCPOA by all participants and will continue its full and effective cooperation with the IAEA”. Referring to U.S. efforts to renew the UN arms embargo on Iran expiring in October 2020, Zarif warned that “any new sanction or restriction by the Security Council is against the fundamental commitments made to Iran. In such a scenario, Iran’s options, as already notified to the remaining participants of the JCPOA, would be firm and the U.S. and any entity which may assist the U.S. – or acquiesce in its illegal behaviour – would bear the responsibility”. “My nation has already shown its good faith and full responsibility. Now this is the turn for the international community to reciprocate the Iranian people”, Zarif added.

A senior Swiss official revealed that “no transactions have yet been carried out [via the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA) with Iran]. Unfortunately, this whole process has been slower than expected because of the COVID-19 pandemic”. “We are currently working on transfers to put additional funds into the SHTA with support from the U.S. side”, he added.

Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson asserted that “the JCPOA is neither the first nor the last of the multilateral achievements Trump withdrew from. The U.S. regime has sought to secure its short-term interests at the cost of nations' long-term prosperity. The regime must end its abject unilateralism”.

The Iraqi parliament approved Mustafa al-Kadhimi as Prime Minister. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif congratulated al-Kadhimi and underscored that “Iran always stands with the Iraqi people and their choice of administration”. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to al-Kadhimi and welcomed his government. According to a U.S. readout, the two “discussed the urgent hard work ahead for the Iraqi government, implementing reforms, addressing COVID-19 and fighting corruption”. Pompeo also indicated that “in support of the new government the U.S. will move forward with a 120-day electricity waiver as a display of our desire to help provide the right conditions for success”. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Switzerland “for its efforts to extend Michael White’s medical furlough… and seeking humanitarian furloughs for Siamak Namazi and Morad Tahbaz and bringing home all U.S. citizens wrongfully detained. We welcome their assistance and we appreciate all that they’ve done”.

President Rouhani asserted that “we have withdrawn from our [JCPOA] commitments in an equal scale. The U.S. has fully withdrawn and the P4+1 has stood back to a lot of extent; therefore, we are in an equal situation and any time they are ready to observe their full commitments under the JCPOA, we will return to the JCPOA the same day”. He further indicated that he had written the P4+1 to explain “what serious consequences would befall them” if the UN arms embargo was extended. Rouhani underscored that “Iran will not in any way accept the violation of Resolution 2231. And it is Iran’s undisputed right to exit the arms embargo soon within the framework of the resolution. Whether we build weapons or buy them it is for defending ourselves and nations. Our weapons are not being used to pour gasoline on the fire”. He further advised the U.S. “to repent, return to JCPOA, apologise to the Iranian nation, pay compensation and act. This is the best way to do it, but of course this group that is in power today will not come to such a conclusion”.

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry announced that it had “managed to monitor and eliminate two terrorist teams, affiliated with separatist groups, that had entered the country from neighboring countries to carry out acts of terrorism”. The ministry claimed to have made sixteen arrests and arms seizures during the operation in western Iran, and said “the leader of this terrorist group is residing in Europe and being supported by an Arab reactionary country”.

President Rouhani told Japanese Prime Minister Abe that “in the hard times of fighting coronavirus and its severe economic consequences, the U.S.’s illegal sanctions against the Iranian nation have intensified… we are facing many problems even in the field of medical equipment and food supply”. Rouhani further stated that “we are sorry that in recent weeks we have seen tensions created by the U.S. in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region, not to mention that tensions in the region have always begun by the U.S.”

Facebook revealed that it had in April “removed 118 Pages, 389 Facebook accounts, 27 Groups and six Instagram accounts that were involved in foreign interference which is coordinated inauthentic behaviour on behalf of a foreign entity… This activity originated in Iran”. The company also noted that “although the people behind this activity attempted to conceal their identities and coordination, our investigation found links to the [state-owned] Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB)”.