Europeans Not in a Position to Quit JCPOA

IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that the Europeans are not in a position to pull out of the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), adding that they are not legally allowed to do so.

Zarif made the remarks answering to a lawmaker’s question about the future of the JCPOA and possible E3 withdrawal from the JCPOA.

Zarif described the JCPOA as an international agreement which has been ratified in the United Nations and has clear framework, saying U.S. has pulled out of the deal against international regulations.

Europeans have failed to implement their commitments and in some cases violated the deal, he noted.

In response to such measures, Iran has taken some actions based on the JCPOA text and is following them.

Europe is not able to withdraw from the nuclear accord, he reiterated.

Earlier, Zarif said the European states are echoing the U.S. statements and claims to save their lost face.

“These days when I talk to the president of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that has a nuclear weapon, he tells me that he can’t do anything without Trump’s permission,” he added.

“If you see that the Europeans have made their positions closer to the US, it’s not because that they have seen us in a weak spot but that they have failed to withstand the US and are echoing the US claims and statements just to save a little of the face that has remained for them,” Zarif noted.

The Iranian top diplomat slammed the three European signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, that is, Germany, France and the UK, for dragging their feet during the last five months to “give Iran credit in return for the sale of the Iranian crude to make the country stay in the JCPOA”.

“However, they have failed to do even this little job because their master doesn’t even allow them to pay from its own money for its own security,” he stressed.

Zarif also said Iran’s foreign policy has focused on having good neighborly relations with the regional states and special economic cooperation in the region.

Zarif made the remarks answering to a lawmaker’s question about why Iran has not had sustainable diplomatic cooperation with its eastern and southeastern neighbors including Pakistan.

Zarif attended Majlis (Parliament) session this morning to answer the parliamentarians’ questions about different diplomatic issues.

Elaborating on Iran-Pakistan ties, the foreign minister said there is no confusion in Tehran’s relations with Islamabad.

Despite existence of some problems in bilateral relations which is due to the regional situation and the interference of foreigners, Iran enjoys good cooperation with Pakistan, Zarif stressed.

Talking of regional questions including peace in Afghanistan, Zarif said that Iran’s stance on Afghanistan focuses on peace with participation of all parties in Afghanistan.

Iran does not pursue the Afghanistan peace process which has gone through by the foreign presence, he stated.

Ties with Afghanistan are being followed up by Iran under a definite policy as well, the foreign minister noted.

He further stressed the importance of considering the guidelines made by the religious Ulema and representatives about sustainable security.

On construction of dams by Turkey, Iran’s western neighbor on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, Zarif said the officials of the Iranian Foreign Ministry have had different meetings with their Iraqi, Syrian and Turkish counterparts on the issue, but it has made slow progress as Turkey has not joined international convention on water.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Zarif answered to a question about Turkey’s military presence in Kurdish areas of Syria, saying Iran has declared that settlement of the Turkish military forces in its national border lines is the only way to ensure the Turkish security.

Iran has already expressed its readiness to cooperate with the Turkish and Syrian Governments to solve the problem based on the International Law, Zarif said.

Europeans Not in a Position to Quit JCPOA

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