Iran can play a significant role in encouraging European powers to resist US pressure following Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, says a former diplomat.
The Europeans will continue to support the agreement as long as Iran honors its commitments, Ali Khorram told ISNA in an interview published on Sunday.
"Iran can play a considerable role in encouraging the European Union to resist US sanctions," he said, adding, "There is a broad consensus that Europe will make efforts to fulfill its obligations, but the question is whether or not Europe will be able to actually meet its commitments in the face of US pressure."
It is "unlikely" that large European companies will have the capacity to take whatever punishment the Americans mete out if they choose to continue doing business with Iran, but it may be easier for smaller companies to do so, he noted.
US President Donald Trump announced in May that he was pulling out of the landmark 2015 deal, in which world powers offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for restraints on its nuclear program.
The US exit means renewed sanctions on Iran, while international companies doing business with it will face penalties if they do not quit the country within the next in between 90 and 180 days.
Companies including aircraft maker Boeing, French energy giant Total, French automaker PSA Group and Danish shipping group Maersk have announced plans to pull out, according to AFP.
US Bullying
Khorram said European powers do not want to give in to US bullying and have been struggling to find a leverage to persuade Trump to change his approach.
"There is a serious disagreement between the two sides that was obvious in the recent Group of Seven summit, in which the Europeans and Canada stood against the United States," he noted. He was referring to the trade spat between the US and Canada during a summit in Quebec earlier this month, which caused Germany and France to sharply criticize Trump's controversial decision to abruptly withdraw his support for a G7 communique hammered out at the meeting. They accused him of destroying trust and acting inconsistently.
The former diplomat also said the US president's recent efforts to make a "show of power" by holding talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are properly aimed at giving Washington a stronger hand to negotiate with Europe and rally support against Tehran.
