The Iranian foreign ministry criticized members of the group of seven industrial countries, known as the G7, for challenging multilateralism by adopting unilateral approaches, either individually or within small groups.
“This group seeks to impose its unjust and unfair approaches on others by issuing another unilateral and irresponsible statement,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, in reference to the G7 leaders’ communique following their latest summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
He also strongly denounced those parts of the statement which contained “baseless and fabricated accusations” against Iran, according to the foreign ministry’s website.
Pointing to allegations about Iran’s nuclear activity, he reiterated that the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful and an atomic weapon has no place in the country’s defense doctrine.
“We strongly reject this selective statement and delusional claims by members of this group who own nuclear weapons themselves,” he said on Monday, the ministry’s website reported.
Leaders of the G7, which consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the US, expressed deep concern in their statement about “Iran’s unabated escalation of its nuclear program”, which they claimed has no credible civilian justification and brings it dangerously close to actual weapon-related activities.
They said a diplomatic solution remains the best way to resolve this issue, adding that the 2015 nuclear deal continues to provide a useful reference in this regard.
The member states also called on all countries to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorses the JCPOA.
The deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which restricted Iran’s nuclear activity in return for sanctions relief, unraveled when the United States pulled out in 2018 and reimposed tough sanctions, prompting Tehran to row back on its commitments.
Negotiations to revive the JCPOA have not yielded results after more than two years.
Kanaani described the JCPOA as Iran’s display of good faith to address “artificial concerns” about the country’s nuclear program.
He said the deal was an important achievement of multilateral diplomacy which regrettably inflicted serious harm after the US illegal exit and European parties’ subsequent inaction.
The call by G7 leaders for support of the UNSCR 2231 is, therefore, strange and a sign of those countries’ contradictory policies, according to the spokesman.
“They are the primary violators of the resolution in question and responsible for the imposition of illegal maximum-level sanctions on the Iranian nation.”
Constructive Cooperation
Leaders of the seven states also called on Iran to “take prompt and concrete actions to fulfill its legal obligations and political commitments, including 38 nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards obligations.”
This referred to certain safeguards questions that Iran is trying to settle with the International Atomic Energy Agency based on an agreement in March.
Kanaani highlighted the satisfactory progress in the implementation of agreements with the agency, urging other countries to avoid politicization and interference in Iran’s technical cooperation with the IAEA through pressurizing this international body.
“Iran has always honored its international obligations and is determined to continue its constructive cooperation with the IAEA within the framework of the [Non-Proliferation Treaty] and its safeguards agreements,” he underlined.
The foreign ministry spokesman later severely censured the G7’s objectification and political exploitation of the issue of human rights against the Islamic Republic.
“Instead of such groundless accusations, these countries must be held accountable for their systematic violation of the human rights of Iranians inside and outside the country, including women and children, by imposing or complicity in cruel, unilateral and illegal sanctions,” he said.
The seven countries in their communique accused Iran of systematic human rights violations and abuses, including repression of protesters and targeting individuals, calling on the leadership to end what they called “unjust and arbitrary detentions.”
“The hostile and colonialist history of several G7 members against the people of Iran and other nations is too obvious to be concealed by deceptive words,” Kanaani said.
Divergent Interpretation
The final statement of the G7 also made allegations about Iran’s “continued destabilizing activities”, including the transfer of missiles, drones and related technologies to state and nonstate actors, in breach of UNSCRs including 2231 and 2216.
The spokesman highlighted that it has been the domineering policies of certain members of the G7 that have brought insecurity and instability to the world and this region in particular for decades, while Iran has had the greatest share in promoting stability in the region, including in the fight against terrorism.
He said it is regrettable when the same countries accuse Iran of destabilization, and attribute this allegation to their divergent interpretation of UNSC resolutions, of which they are the main violators.
Elsewhere in the document, the seven economic powers urged Iran to stop its military support of Russia in its war on Ukraine.
“We call upon Iran to cease transferring armed UAVs, which have been used to attack Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and kill Ukrainian civilians,” they said.
Iran has long denied the supply of arms to either warring site, only confirming that a limited number of drones had been delivered to Moscow months before the onset of the conflict.
“As we have said repeatedly, Iran has never given drones to Russia in the Ukraine conflict and continues to insist on a political settlement of this crisis,” Kanaani said.
The final section of the G7 statement, the leaders emphasized the importance of ensuring maritime security in the Middle East’s waterways and called on Iran “not to interfere with the lawful exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by all vessels.”
Kanaani said the security of marine navigation in the Persian Gulf has always been ensured thanks to Iran’s constant efforts, so “we asked G7 members to stop their intervening and destabilizing activities in this important waterway and other waterways of the region.”
