Ten years to the day after the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran was adopted, Tehran has declared the deal dead.

On October 18, the Iranian foreign ministry issued a statement saying: “From now on all of the provisions (of the 2015 deal), including the restrictions on the Iranian nuclear programme and the related mechanisms are considered terminated.”

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between Iran and six world powers in 2015. As per the deal, Tehran agreed to strict limits on uranium enrichment, reduced its stockpiles, and opened its facilities to international inspectors. In exchange, the West lifted the crippling sanctions on its economy.

However, in 2018 President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement, which he called “the worst deal ever” and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

The European powers tried to resurrect it, but without the U.S. the economic incentives weren’t there for Iran.

Tehran responded by gradually disregarding the limits on enrichment and stockpiles. Following the 12-day war with Israel in June, it passed a resolution cutting off cooperation with the IAEA.

Europe had no choice but to trigger the JCPOA's "snapback" mechanism, which reimposed all UN sanctions that had been lifted in 2015.

Although Iran insists its program remains peaceful and energy-focused, without any checks in place it can now enrich uranium to any level, stockpile any amount, and pursue advanced centrifuge research without limits.