Iranian state television reported Sunday evening (Jan. 5) local time that Tehran will no longer be held accountable to the restrictions of the JCPOA nuclear deal signed with world powers in 2015.
A statement by President Hassan Rouhani cited by the station said the country will not observe limits on its uranium enrichment nor on the amount of stockpiled enriched uranium, in addition to the country’s nuclear research and development activities.
Rouhani gave no specifics about the immediate future plans for the nuclear development program.
The announcement followed a day in which the coffin carrying the remains of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani made its way around the country after having arrived by aircraft from Iraq, where he was killed in a drone strike by US forces early last Friday.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians packed the streets of the holy city of Mashad to pay tribute to the military leader, considered second only in importance to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a personal friend for years.