Iran and world powers discussed the latest steps in ongoing efforts to offset the impact of US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during a meeting in Vienna on Wednesday, which also intended to flesh out a newly established European mechanism to circumvent American sanctions.
The meeting was the first convened by Iran and members of the Joint Commission—which is tasked with monitoring the implementation of the nuclear deal—since Europe set up INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) to conduct non-dollar trade with Tehran via a system that would help avert US penalties.
Britain, France and Germany are parties to the Iran deal, as was the United States under ex-president, Barack Obama. The Europeans, along with Russia and China, who are also signatories, have vowed to keep to the terms of the accord—officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Helga Schmid, secretary-general of the European Union’s foreign policy service, wrote on her Twitter account at the start of the EU-chaired meeting that “commitment to implementation of JCPOA [was] reiterated by E3+2 and Iran”.
Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who headed the Iranian delegation, said in remarks ahead of the 11th meeting of the Joint Commission that nuclear-related issues and challenges created by the reimposition of US sanctions would feature in the talks, ISNA reported.
“The process concerning Iran’s nuclear commitments is following its normal course and IAEA verified the implementation of nuclear measures by Iran for the 14th time. However, we are facing various obstacles arising from the US exit from JCPOA,” he said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, which is policing the deal that lifted sanctions against Iran in exchange for restrictions on its atomic activities, recently said in a report that the country has remained within the key limits on its nuclear program despite growing pressure from reinstated US sanctions.
Political Will
Describing INSTEX as an important initiative, Araqchi said the remaining signatories to JCPOA have demonstrated the political will to resolve problems created by the US withdrawal from the agreement.
"They have been trying to put forward ideas and mechanisms to compensate for the US pullout and find ways of continuing their economic cooperation with Iran,” he said.
“However, this mechanism is still at the fledgling stage and we have no idea how it is going to work out and how it is going to solve the existing problems. So we need to hold expert talks to discuss it further.”
The deputy minister also called on European governments to be “more serious” in their efforts to help salvage the nuclear pact.
In a statement read out at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna on Tuesday, the EU once again underlined its “resolute commitment” to uphold its end of the agreement.
“The EU … is determined to continue working with the international community to preserve JCPOA, an important multilateral achievement,” the bloc said, Tasnim News Agency reported.
“JCPOA is a key element of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and is crucial for international security,” the statement said.
“Alongside the verified implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments, the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions is an essential part of the agreement.”
