Europe Could Work to Keep Nuclear Deal Alive without U.S.

In a commentary published by Reuters on Monday, it is said that if the U.S. withdraws from the 2015 nuclear deal, Europe could work with other international powers to keep the agreement alive.

“This will require a “soft exit” that would secure American agreement to delay enforcement of secondary U.S. sanctions so European and other international companies could continue trading with and investing in Iran without the threat of their losing the American market,” the article said.

 “If the Europeans and others manage to keep the deal in place without triggering a major transatlantic rift, the door would be left open for the United States to re-join the agreement at a future time.”

In a statement on January 12, U.S. President Donald Trump gave Europeans only 120 days to agree to an overhaul of the nuclear agreement and said if the text of the deal is not revised he would unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from it.

Iran, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the U.S., UK, France, Russia, and China – Germany and the European Union struck the nuclear deal on July 14, 2015.

Since the JCPOA went into force in January 2016 the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency has issued ten reports each time confirming Tehran’s complete compliance with the multilateral agreement.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said during a speech at the Chatham House think tank in London that Tehran cannot remain in the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, if it cannot benefit from it.

“If the same policy of confusion and uncertainties about the JCPOA continues, if companies and banks are not working with Iran, we cannot remain in a deal that has no benefit for us,” Araqchi threatened.

TEHRAN TIMES

R.S