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Engaging Europe: Imagination or reality?

Analysis by PMOI/MEK

 

Iran, June 7, 2019 – Europe has become vital for the Iranian regime to help it circumvent the current sanctions. Over the past two months, Europe, especially the three European signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have been the destination of many Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, his deputy Abbas Araghchi, and Kamal Kharazi, the former foreign minister from Mohammad Khatami’s tenure.

While past and present officials are doing their best to keep the JCPOA alive, Tehran has repeatedly mentioned that if Europe makes INSTEX operational, the regime is willing to approve the CFT and Palermo bills, the two remaining legislations that are required to join the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Will the European Union help the regime in Iran circumvent the current U.S. sanctions? Is Europe willing to confront the U.S. over Iran?

The positions of European JCPOA signatories vis-a-vis Iran have become more aggressive over the past few month. Most of them have shown their strategic alliance with the U.S. over Iran’s actions in the region and its ballistic missiles program.

While UK Prime Minister Theresa May made this clear in her press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump, Iranian state-run television tried to play down the issue.

“The UK Prime Minister, who will be stepping down from her post in a few days, said that while their approach is different from the U.S. regarding the Iran nuclear dossier, their goals are the same. She didn’t mention that the U.S. left the JCPOA unilaterally and didn’t say why Europe is delaying the implementation of its JCPOA obligations,” the state TV report aired.

Meanwhile, according to the Fars news agency, affiliated to the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), Stavros Lambrinidis, the European Union’s new ambassador to Washington, reiterated there are more agreements than differences between Washington and Brussels.

“Do we have other disagreements with Iran? Absolutely. The ballistic missiles issue, the issue of terrorism. The issue of this regime’s actions in Syria and other places. The European Union has kept its sanctions against Iran because of all of these issues,” he said.

“The EU’s special representative for human rights has repeatedly raised this issue during negotiations with Iran. So, the nuclear agreement with Iran has not limited our capability or obligations toward other issues at all,” Lambrinidis added.

“The EU does not accept any ultimatum from the Tehran,” referring to the 60-day ultimatum issued for Europe by Iranian regime President Hassan Rouhani. 

He then warned the Iranian regime to not increase the tensions by leaving the JCPOA.

According to Deutsche Welle, Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, after meeting his U.S. counterpart, said that his country’s policies towards Iran is in line with the American viewpoint. According to Maas, both countries seek to prevent the mullahs’ regime from acquiring nuclear weapons and want the regime to explain the status of its ballistic missiles program.

 

 

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