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Iran deputy FM in Paris to talk over nuclear deal

Tuesday, 03 September 2019 5:05 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 03 September 2019 5:05 AM ]

Ramin Mazaheri

Press TV, Paris

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was in the Russian capital while his deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi was in Paris in a last-minute push to preserve the 2015 nuclear agreement amid US sanctions and the Europeans’ failure to fulfill their commitments under the landmark agreement.

Iran has warned that it will take the third step in reducing its commitments under the nuclear deal if Europe continues to takes no action to protect the agreement. The third step will be taken on September 6.

French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly held phone calls in recent days with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, leading to what Iranian officials say is a “convergence of views”.

At the recent G7 summit in France, Macron reportedly proposed that Washington allow the creation of a 15-billion-dollar line of credit to Tehran, which would essentially function as a down payment for European oil sales. This came as a long-anticipated INSTEX trade mechanism designed by Europe to shield the Iranian economy from US sanction has yet to become fully operational.

After unilaterally breaking with the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA in 2018, Washington has used sanctions and threats to stop what it called all Iranian oil exports. US President Donald Trump has, however, said he was ready for talks with Tehran over a new deal after his Iran policy failed to achieve its goal.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has said the only way negotiations can re-open is if Washington lifts its unjust sanctions, and also if all European signatories to the nuclear deal return to fulfilling their legal commitments under the pact.

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