The UK is reconsidering its support for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after a British-Iranian dual national was executed, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
(Bloomberg) — The UK is reconsidering its support for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after a British-Iranian dual national was executed, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
Circumstances have changed since the negotiation process for revival of the accord began and Britain is reviewing its options regarding involvement, the newspaper said, citing senior government people it didn’t identify.
Talks to restore the deal have been stalled since August last year as relations between the Islamic Republic and Western parties involved — including the US and European Union — have become increasingly tense over the country’s deadly crackdown on protesters and Iran’s sale of military drones to Russia.
Revival of the agreement that limits Iran’s nuclear program could pave the way for the US to lift sanctions and allow Iranian energy exports back onto world markets.
On Saturday, Iran said it executed Alireza Akbari, a former top-ranking government official, for allegedly spying for the UK intelligence service. Britain’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, condemned the hanging as a “callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime.”
The British ambassador to Iran has been temporarily recalled to the UK for urgent talks about possible next steps, the Telegraph reported.
–With assistance from Golnar Motevalli.
(Updates with context and background in third paragraph.)
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