EU’s Opportunity to Prevent Death of Nuclear Deal Limited: Iran’s Kharrazi

TEHRAN– Head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations Kamal Kharrazi warned the European Union against continued passivity on the US sanctions against the Islamic Republic, saying the opportunity to save the 2015 nuclear deal is limited.   

Speaking at a meeting in Paris with Marielle de Sarnez, the chairperson of the French Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Kharrazi highlighted reasons behind a recent decision by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) to halt some of the country’s commitments under the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

 “The Iranian people are very pessimistic about the European (governments) because of their failure to fulfill their commitments and their compliance with Trump’s sanctions policies…,” he said, according to the Tasnim News Agency.

Kharrazi further emphasized that the two-month deadline mentioned in the SNSC’s statement is a good opportunity for Europe to make up for the slow pace of its past measures in making INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) up and running and prevent the death of the JCPOA.

The French lawmaker, for her part, expressed regret over the US administration’s transnational decisions and pressures on Europe and criticized Washington for the withdrawal from the JCPOA.

The SNSC issued a statement on Wednesday, saying Iran is no longer fulfilling some of its obligations under the JCPOA, and setting a two-month deadline for the remaining parties to fulfill their undertakings.

 “At the current stage, we are not committed to complying with restrictions on the keeping enriched uranium reserves and heavy water supplies,” the SNSC stated.

The statement came a few days after the US administration renewed five of seven sanctions waivers that allow Russia and European nations to conduct civilian nuclear cooperation with Iran but revoked the other two as part of its pressure campaign against Tehran.

Washington also stopped issuing waivers to buy Iranian crude oil on May 2.

Before the US moves, Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, had warned against their consequences.

On May 8, 2018, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA.

Following the US withdrawal, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.

The European Union has vowed to counter Trump’s renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures, but it has so far failed to do anything beyond making statements.

M.Wassouf