A deputy foreign minister called on the European signatories to the nuclear deal to continue demanding full commitment from US President Donald Trump and cautioned them against a policy to appease the Iran hawk.
"European countries had better be seeking the US' continued adherence to its JCPOA obligations, as they have done so far, and persuade that country to effectively implement all aspects of the JCPOA with good intention and in a constructive atmosphere because there is no other way to preserve the action plan but full commitment from the US and other parties," Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said, IRNA reported.
He was using the formal title of the 2015 nuclear accord, namely the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Araqchi was talking to reporters on Friday before leaving Vienna, the venue for another meeting of the Joint Commission, a panel assigned to monitor the deal's implementation.
He was commenting on a Reuters report that said Britain, France and Germany, JCPOA's Euoropean parties, have proposed fresh EU sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missiles and its role in Syria's war, citing a confidential document.
The move is seen by some analysts as meant to appease Trump, who has adopted a harsh line toward the Islamic Republic and the pact.
***Miscalculation
"If some European countries are after measures like the imposition of non-nuclear sanctions on Iran to appease the US president, they are making a big calculation mistake and would witness its direct consequences for the JCPOA and its survival," Araqchi added.
The joint paper, seen by Reuters, was sent to European Union capitals on Friday, said two people familiar with the matter, to sound out support for such sanctions as they would need the support of all 28 EU member governments.
Trump delivered an ultimatum to the European signatories on Jan. 12. It said they must agree to "fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal", which was sealed under his predecessor Barack Obama, or he would refuse to extend US sanctions relief on Iran. US sanctions will resume unless Trump issues fresh "waivers" to suspend them on May 12.
European Union foreign ministers will discuss the proposal at a closed-door meeting on Monday in Brussels, diplomats said.
The deal could collapse if Washington pulls out.
The joint document by the three European nations said they were engaged in intensive talks with the Trump administration to "achieve a clear and lasting reaffirmation of US support for the [nuclear] agreement beyond May 12."
The document referred to sanctions that would "target militias and commanders".
It proposes building on the EU's existing sanctions list related to Syria, which includes travel bans and asset freezes on individuals, and a ban on doing business or financing public and private companies.
It was strident in its criticism of Iran's ballistic weapons, which Tehran says are for defensive purposes, claiming there were "transfers of Iranian missiles and missile technology" to Syria and other allies of Tehran, such as Houthi fighters in Yemen and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
"Such a proliferation of Iranian missile capabilities throughout the region is an additional and serious source of concern," the document contended.
While the EU retains some sanctions on Iranians over human rights abuses, it rescinded its economic and financial restrictions on Iran in 2016 as required by the nuclear agreement and does not want to be seen to be reneging on the agreement.
Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is for peaceful power generation, not atomic bombs, ruled out a renegotiation of the accord and denied western assertions that its missile and regional activities are destabilizing.
The document set out questions and answers that seek to show that legally, the European powers would not be breaking the terms of the nuclear deal.
It said they are "entitled to adopt additional sanctions against Iran" as long as they are not nuclear-related or were previously lifted under the nuclear agreement.
The European powers said new sanctions are justified because Iran "did not commit further to stop undertaking ballistic missile destabilizing activities" under the nuclear agreement.
The nuclear deal's terms did not cover ballistic missile activity.
