Europe's support for the Iran nuclear deal will contribute to efforts to promote security in the Middle East, says the head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations.
"Europe's backing for the JCPOA is not limited to the key international agreement, rather it also benefits regional security," Kamal Kharrazi, a former foreign minister, said in a meeting with Niels Annen, minister of state at Germany's Federal Foreign Office, in Berlin, Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday.
He was referring to the fact that the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, have been trying to salvage it after the United States' unilateral withdrawal in May.
Kharrazi said Washington is seeking to exacerbate tensions in the region, which will have negative consequences for Europe.
"If Europe acquiesces to US demands vis-à-vis the JCPOA, it will be subject to added from that country in other issues," he said, adding that Tehran is waiting to see whether the Europeans can translate their political will into clear action.
*** Logical Response
The German official commended Iran's logical response to the US exit, saying that European countries are determined to help save the nuclear pact despite the odds.
Removing obstacles “oil trade, financial transactions and investment by small and medium-sized companies are high on Europe's agenda,” Annen said, adding that UN Security Council Resolution 2231, that underpins the nuclear deal, has given the Europeans more legal leeway.
He called on all influential countries, particularly buyers of Iranian crude, to support the agreement and continue cooperating with Iran.
Europe is facing mounting pressure from Washington to cuts trade ties with Tehran.
On Tuesday, the US ambassador to Germany called on Berlin to block an Iranian bid to withdraw large sums of cash from bank accounts in Germany to offset the effect of new US financial sanctions imposed after it quit the nuclear deal in May.
"We encourage the highest levels of the German government to intervene and stop the plan," Richard Grenell, a longtime critic of the accord, told the newspaper Bild, Reuters reported.
Bild first reported on Monday that German authorities were considering a request by Iran to withdraw 300 million euros ($350 million) from bank accounts held in Germany and to transfer the cash to Iran.
A German Finance Ministry spokeswoman on Monday said German authorities were examining the Iranian request.
*** Europe's Strategy
Kharrazi also held a meeting with former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer and discussed a range of issues, including the hostile and destabilizing US policies, the nuclear agreement and regional issues, ISNA reported on Tuesday.
"Iran's commitment to the JCPOA hinges on Europe's strategy to resist US sanctions. If the US departure causes Iran to not benefit from the deal, there will be no point in Iran staying in it."
Fischer said European countries are making efforts to convince Iran to remain in the landmark agreement, adding that the US will exert more pressure on EU powers in the future if they fail to resist and reject its excessive demands.
