Iranian Speaker Not Upbeat about EU’s Resolve to Save JCPOA
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani cast doubts over the resolve of the Europeans to implement the measures they have been talking about to save the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), following the US withdrawal from the accord.
In a speech on Saturday morning, Larijani pointed to the ongoing talks between Iran and the European Union (EU) on the future of the JCPOA and said given the calls to negotiate with Tehran from leaders of the three parties to the deal, the Islamic Republic decided to hold talks with the Europeans (to save the deal).
Iran’s reasoning for entering the negotiations is trying to protect its nuclear program and at the same time prevent foreign pressures on its people as much as possible, he said.
However, there is serious doubt about whether they (Europeans) can put their words into action, the parliament speaker went on to say.
The European Union has vowed to counter US President Donald Trump’s renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.
Trump on August 6 signed an executive order re-imposing many sanctions on Iran, three months after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.
He said the US policy is to levy “maximum economic pressure” on the country.
Trump also restated his opinion that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was a “horrible, one-sided deal”.
On May 8, the US president 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.
