Analysis by PNOI/MEK
Iran, July 3, 2019 – On June 28, a meeting in Vienna was held with the presence of Iran’s deputy foreign minister along with the 4+1 signatory states of the 2015 nuclear deal. The final declaration of the meeting showed clearly that, at least for now, Europe is not ready to cover more than food for oil under the framework of INSTEX, Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges.
INSTEX is a clearinghouse-style setup that potentially enable a company to sell Iran goods and receive payments in exchange without the money ever changing hands. Iran, on the other hand, can “sell” its oil to third countries and in exchange receive credit from INSTEX, with which it can buy a small set of permitted goods, including food and medicament, from companies that are willing to play along.
Iranian regime Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi immediately announced that the final decision of the meeting was a far fetch from the Iranian regime’s position.
Following the Vienna meeting, Fars news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) quoted an “insider source” writing, “The results of the JCPOA Joint Commission recently in Vienna was far from Iran’s requests and couldn’t fulfill our demands.”
“The Islamic Republic has come to the conclusive decision to continue its measures to decrease its obligations under the JCPOA,” the official continued.
On Monday, according to the state-run news agency IRNA, Iranian regime Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that Iran's stockpiles of low enriched uranium have exceeded the 300-kilogram limit set by the JCPOA.
IAEA spokesman Fredrik Dahl also confirmed this in a statement. “IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano has informed the Board of Governors that the Agency verified on July 1st that Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile exceeded 300 kg of UF6 enriched up to 3.67% U-235 (or the equivalent in different chemical forms),” the statement reads.
On the other hand, after the Vienna meeting, the state-run website Namehnews in Iran asked whether the JCPOA has been really rescued from death? and continued on to ask several fundamental questions:
1- What really is INSTEX and what does it do for Iran?
2- Does INSTEX mean a JCPOA without the U.S. and with this channel, can we say that the JCPOA is returning to its initial stature?
3- What will be the U.S. response to Friday’s measure [making INSTEX operational by Europe] and is it possible to put sanctions on INSTEX?
4- Considering this measure, will Iran be dissuaded from its second step?
5- What are the guarantees that Europeans do not break their promises this time?
Namehnews further argues that Tehran’s achievements in Vienna’s conference were near zero.
“It’s clear that this financial channel is only for immediate and essential cases and can’t provide for the obligations of the JCPOA signatories,” the read added.
Tasnim News Agency, close to the IRGC and Quds Force, asks: “Will [Iranian regime President] Hassan Rouhani’s government will be deceived once again with Europe’s ‘candy’? … We need to warn government officials and foreign policy decision makers not to be deceived by the INSTEX candy and not to back off from their requests in exchange for Europe’s halfhearted measure.”
“Under this mechanism, the state won’t receive any money, but Europe promises that Iran will receive some goods. More importantly, INSTEX doesn’t do anything against U.S. sanctions but rather, as the German ambassador in Iran recently said, INSTEX recognizes the U.S. sanctions.”
