France will use all its capacities to salvage the Iran nuclear deal and guarantee its full implementation, a top French senator said.
Philippe Bonnecarrere, the head of France-Iran Friendship Group in the upper house of parliament, also praised Iran's faithful adherence to the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
"Iran's approach to JCPOA has reflected a good image of the country on the international stage and France will definitely use every possible means to remain in the deal and implement it," he said in a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in Tehran on Tuesday, ICANA reported.
US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and major world powers in May and reimposed sanctions. Iran and other parties have remained committed to the pact and are working to sustain it without the US.
Larijani commended the European Union's political stance, but stressed that Iran has not signed the deal only to receive the parties' lip service, suggesting that effective steps to uphold the agreement are essential to its sustenance.
"France was among the first countries to stand up to the United States' departure from the deal … Europeans are obliged to meet their commitments, but all that has been done [so far] is political support," he said.
Larijani highlighted the reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency and indicated that Iran has fulfilled all its obligations under JCPOA and called for Europe to take "practical measures" toward the deal's execution.
Bonnecarrere is on a mission in Tehran, along with a group of French parliamentarians.
> Need for Greater Steps
Earlier on Sunday, Bonnecarrere met his Iranian counterpart Kazem Jalali.
Jalali praised France's efforts to save the deal but urged Europe to take bigger steps in this regard.
"Political dialogue is not sufficient and steps toward an economic turnaround [in Iran] need to be taken as well," he said.
French lawmaker Delphine O noted that the visit was a sign of "all the determination and all the will of France to keep alive the nuclear agreement".
She pointed to the updated Blocking Statute and the Special Purpose Vehicle as important signs of Europe's determination to ensure the continued, full and effective enforcement of JCPOA, although admitting that the moves are not flawless.
The statute bans any EU company from complying with US sanctions against firms investing in or doing business with Iran while SPV creates a financial mechanism to maintain trade with Iran despite US restrictions.
Senator Bonnecarrere also stressed in the meeting that helping Iran benefit from the nuclear deal despite the US pressure campaign is "difficult but possible".
Along this line, European nations are seeking "to have at least one Iranian bank remain connected to the international banking system through SWIFT to keep up commercial relations on goods or services that are not subject to sanctions", according to the senator.
> Setback to Diplomacy
The delegation also on Monday met Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi who emphasized that global diplomacy will receive a huge blow if Iran's multinational nuclear deal fails to go ahead.
"The collapse of Iran's nuclear deal would not only add to political complications in the Middle East region but, more importantly, would mark the failure of a successful diplomatic experience," he said.
Araqchi censured the United States for its unilateral and unjustified departure from JCPOA.
"The US is not only violating a United Nations Security Council resolution [which endorsed the nuclear accord], but also encouraging, and even forcing, other nations to do so," he was quoted as saying by ISNA.
The senior Iranian diplomat welcomed Europe's endeavors to implement JCPOA as well as France's strong will to stand against America's unilateralism and extraterritorial laws. He hoped that the efforts will result in practical solutions.
