“That’s what we’re committed to. We’re committed to the negotiation process,” he said in a press conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on May 8. “Our ultimate goal is to have the comprehensive plan of action implemented fully by all the parties.”
He made his comments a few hours after news broke that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had written to the remaining parties of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA) to inform them that Iran would restart some nuclear activities within 60 days if their European, Russian, and Chinese partners in the accord did not deliver on their commitments – especially with respect to Iran’s oil and banking sectors that are crippled under sanctions imposed by Washington after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA a year ago.
The remaining signatories – Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany – remained in the deal, along with Iran. The European nations tried to establish a process whereby companies could continue doing business with Iran without fear of repercussions from hardline US sanctions. Lavrov expressed concern, however, that they were not delivering on their promises.
“When they talk about Iran, they talk about ideas that have nothing to do with the JCPOA,” he said. “Ideas that look like an attempt to divert everyone’s attention away from the fact that Europe is incapable of implementing the agreement.”
Russia is ready to uphold its end of the deal, and Europe must too, he said.
Iran says it is justified in “scaling back” its commitments to the accord under Articles 23 and 36 that says Iran can do so if the US or Europe impose sanctions again. If it does not get a favourable answer from its deal partners within 60 days, Iran says it will not abide by restrictions on the storage of enriched uranium and heavy water. These two aspects of the nuclear deal are ones that the US stopped issuing waivers for last week.
China and France have both stressed their commitment to the JCPOA.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang, speaking during a daily press briefing in Beijing on May 8, said all sides have a responsibility to ensure the accord is fully implemented.
“Today nothing would be worse than Iran, itself, leaving this agreement,” said France’s Defence Minister Florence Parly.
Speaking on BFM TV/RMC radio, she said France, Britain, and Germany would do everything they could to save the deal and help Iran’s economy survive the sanctions. But she issued a warning to Iran about the consequences of breaking the deal.
“There are no sanctions today from Europe because Iran has so far always respected the commitments it has taken,” she said. “If these commitments were not respected, naturally this question would be asked.”
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt issued a similar warning. “Should Iran cease to observe its nuclear commitments there will of course be consequences,” BBC reported him saying. The UK will continue to support the deal, he said, describing Iran’s intent to restart some nuclear activities as “unwelcome.”
Germany will “stick by the agreement,” said Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
Washington has labelled Iran the world’s main “state sponsor of terror” and has demanded Tehran cease its regional activities in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. The sanctions were meant to force Iran to bow to America’s demands. They have crippled the economy – shuttering factories, slashing the value of the currency, and causing a jump in unemployment – but otherwise have largely failed, says Ali Vaez, an Iran analyst with the International Crisis group.
“[T]here is no sign Iran is shifting its regional policies or willing to bow to the Trump administration’s demands. Nor is there any hint that economic hardship has triggered popular unrest of a magnitude that would threaten the regime’s survival,” he wrote on May 8.
“The net effect of maximum pressure is an Iran with its economy in ruins but its regime intact. To prevent a costly war of choice, the US may need to step aside from maximalist demands and preconditions and use staggered sanctions relief to advance win-win negotiations,” he said.
Russia’s Lavrov is not holding out much hope for Washington’s ability to engage in the sort of diplomacy like the months of talks that resulted in the nuclear accord.
Recalling a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Finland on May 7, Lavrov said “I urged him to use diplomacy and not threats when dealing with global issues. I also urged him to use international law and follow the principles of peaceful resolution of disputes. But to do that, you need to be probably cultured in the world of diplomacy and it seems not everyone is cultured that way these days… It is counterproductive to impose your will and your decisions.”
