Iran’s commitment to its nuclear deal with world powers will push the United States deeper into isolation, but a strict deadline should be set for Europe to present practical measures to save the 2015 agreement, a senior analyst said.
“Iran should continue to isolate the United States over its breach of promise by remaining a part of JCPOA and expanding its international cooperation, rather than creating favorable conditions for the formation of a global coalition against the country by quitting the nuclear deal,” Mehdi Zakerian, an expert of international law, told the Iranian Diplomacy website in a recent interview.
US President Donald Trump withdrew from the multinational nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in May and reimposed economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic, which had been lifted under the agreement.
The European Union has promised Iran that compliance with the deal would lead to economic benefits despite Trump’s decision.
It is set to officially launch a mechanism, known as special purpose vehicle, to trade with Iran later this month but it has not yet become operational.
What has become clear is that SPV will be registered in France, run by Germany and most likely include Britain as a shareholder, Reuters reported.
However, Iran says Europe may not be able to safeguard the nuclear deal and has accused European officials of dragging their feet.
Tehran needs to show “diplomatic flexibility” but, at the same time, set a strict deadline for Europe to implement the promised measures to keep the nuclear deal alive, an expert says
Zakerian said it is an “undeniable” fact that US sanctions have negatively affected the livelihood and health of Iranians, as it struggles to import medicines because of banking restrictions.
“Remaining committed to the agreement can help us advance our interests through cooperation with other countries," he stressed.
Diplomatic Flexibility
The international law expert noted that Tehran needs to show “diplomatic flexibility” at this crucial juncture but, at the same time, set a strict deadline for Europe to implement the promised measures to keep the nuclear deal alive.
“Iran should give European countries until September 2019 to fulfill their commitments under JCPOA,” he said, adding that it would not be in Iran’s interests to stay within the agreement if the EU fails to meet the deadline.
Zakerian noted that Tehran’s response to the US exit has led to the isolation of the superpower at the international level, which is evident in its efforts to unite the world against Iran by holding global conferences.
He was referring to an international summit on the Middle East, with a focus on Iran, which Washington plans to host in Warsaw next month.
Aljazeera reported on Saturday that EU diplomats have raised questions about the real agenda of the Feb. 13-14 conference and could snub it over concerns that it is part of a US drive to ramp up pressure on Iran.
Zakerian said the planned event shows that the US has suffered a “political and diplomatic” defeat in its confrontation with Iran and feels compelled to resort to new ways to win global support for its anti-Iran policies.
