Berlin Vows ‘Considerable Efforts’ to Save Nuclear Deal

Germany's foreign minister on Thursday pledged "considerable efforts" by his side to protect the Iran nuclear deal, despite Berlin's misgivings about Iran's missile program and role in the Syria conflict.

In a visit to Jordan, Heiko Maas called for a "firewall" between the nuclear deal and Iran's other activities, AP reported. Under the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Tehran agreed to curbs and inspections on its nuclear program in exchange for relief from international sanctions. US President Donald Trump has set a mid-May deadline to reach agreement with European nations to tie further nuclear restrictions on Iran to its ballistic missile development and what he sees as Tehran's regional clout. The White House says Trump will withdraw from the deal if there is no agreement on new restrictions.

Iran has vehemently dismissed Trump's demands, warning that it will quit the agreement as soon as it finds it unbeneficial and will rapidly resume uranium enrichment to degrees of purity beyond the limits set by the deal.

That warning was renewed by the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi.

"Our enemies should know that if it comes to reverting to pre-JCPOA conditions, which we hope it never does … we will act on the decision of the top authorities of the establishment to show a specially-prepared response to those who scupper the agreement," Salehi was quoted as saying by ISNA.

"However, we do not welcome such a situation. We are determined to safeguard our national interests and sovereignty, but in the event of a US exit and inaction by Europe and other major powers we will definitely take a different course of action," he added.

  Designed Not to Fail

But US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley reasserted her side's aggressive stance toward the pact, saying it was "designed to be too big to fail."

Delivering a lecture at Duke University, Haley asserted that the United States is entering a new era of leadership in dealing with Iran.

She criticized the way the Obama administration negotiated the deal and repeated the US accusations against the Islamic Republic, according to the Washington Free Beacon.

"The Iran nuclear deal was designed to be too big to fail. For years, not just the United States, but our allies in Europe have overlooked Iranian ballistic missile launches, [alleged] support for terrorists, and the [alleged] oppression of the Iranian people to preserve the nuclear deal," Haley claimed.

"We are working with our European allies to strengthen the agreement and hold the Iranian [government] to account for its [alleged] support of regional terrorism," Haley said. "The president has set a deadline of mid-May to determine our continued participation in the deal."

"Whether we stay in the nuclear deal or not, strengthening our approach to holding Iran accountable for its actions sends a powerful message to Iran," Haley added. Germany, France and Britain, the European signatories to the action plan, have backed Iran's position in ruling out a renegotiation of the accord but have engaged in talks with the Trump administration to convince him to stay in the deal.

A proposal by the three European powers for fresh anti-Iran sanctions, seen by the Iranians as an attempt to appease Trump, has failed to gain traction among the 28 members of the European Union and secure the required unanimous support for approval.