Iran expects more from Europe to compensate for increasing US pressures

Tabnak – As the United States is moving ahead with its plans to increase economic pressures on Iran by intensifying the sanctions, Tehran expects more cooperative stance from the European Union, especially on the union’s commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.

In this vein, Iran's ambassador to Vienna-based international organizations, Kazem Gharibabadi, urged the European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) to firmly stand up to Washington's one-sided measures against the deal.

Speaking at a meeting with British ambassador to Vienna-based international organizations and the European country’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Gharibabadi pointed to the close cooperation between the Islamic Republic and the IAEA within the framework of the JCPOA and said IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano has repeatedly acknowledged Iran’s full commitment to its obligations under the nuclear deal.

That Iranian diplomat further emphasized that European countries should endeavor, with their full power, to stand against the United States’ unilateralism and make attempts to minimize the negative effects of the re-imposition of unilateral and illegal sanctions against Iran.

During the meeting, the British ambassadors highlighted their country’s principled policy of supporting the JCPOA as well as the joint statement of the three European parties to the deal and said Britain and its European partners are determined to work together with Iran to save the JCPOA and ensure Iran's interests in the deal.

The meeting came as US President Donald Trump said recently that his country’s policy is to levy "maximum economic pressure" on Iran. Meanwhile, he claims that Washington is ready to talk with the Iranians without preconditions.

Reacting to Washington’s contradictory moves, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlines that Iran is negotiating with the entire world, and underlined that the US itself has been ruining the conditions for negotiations.

Expressing that in recent trip to Kazakhstan, he held good talks with Iran's neighbors while negotiating with Europe and Asia, the president noted, “The US has destroyed the conditions for holding talks. We were negotiating in good manner, but the US ruined the bridge and stood in other side saying how it can pass.”

Iran's chief executive also asked the Americans, “If you wanted to pass the bridge why you destroyed it? You must set up the bridge to negotiate. You are blamed for the rift.”

On May 8, Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in Vienna in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany). Following the US exit, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.