Iran will seek compensation for the losses caused by the sanctions after US returns to the deal

Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif said that the country has suffered a loss of over USD 1 trillion due to over 1.600 sanctions imposed by the US since its unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018

February 22, 2021 by Peoples Dispatch
Photo : Press TV

Talking to PressTV on Sunday, February 21, Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif said that the country has suffered a loss of over USD 1 trillion due to over 1.600 sanctions imposed by the US since its unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018. He said that whenever there is a negotiation between both the countries, Iran will raise the issue and seek compensation.

Zarif, however, made it clear that the talks between the two countries can take place only after the US withdraws all sanctions and joins the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the Iran nuclear deal.

Javad Zarif said that there is hardly any substantive difference between Joe Biden’s and Trump’s administration. Zarif also criticized the failure of the European signatories of the JCPOA — UK, France and Germany, commonly known as E3 — to play their part under the deal and take measures to save it from the policies pursued by the US. Zarif said that it seems Europe “lives at the behest and mercy of the US.” He added that Iran expects them to at least try and convince the US now to join the JCPOA.

Meanwhile, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reached a temporary deal on Sunday which will allow IAEA inspectors to continue their “necessary” verification and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear activities for the next three months. This defused a tense situation for now. said head of the IAEA Rafael Grossi in Vienna after returning from Iran.


Iran had announced that it will suspend the implementation of the IAEA additional protocol, a part of the 2015 nuclear deal, from February 21 and stop granting access to its nuclear sites to IAEA inspectors until the US withdraws its sanctions and re-joins the JCPOA.

As per the deal announced on Sunday, if the US does not end its sanctions by Tuesday, February 23, IAEA inspectors will not be allowed to visit the Iranian nuclear sites physically. However, Iran will keep the records of the activities in these sites for next three months which can be handed to IAEA once the US withdraws the sanctions and rejoins the deal.