A British Parliamentary Committee: London Should Ensure Continuation of JCPOA in Cooperation with Europe

A committee of the House of Lords in Britain emphasized in a report published on Tuesday, April 12, that the UK should no longer rely on US leadership in its policies towards the Middle East and must ensure the continuation of the nuclear agreement with Iran (JCPOA) in cooperation with the European Union. Donald Trump, the US President, had previously criticized the nuclear agreement with Iran and called it one of the 'worst' deals made. In this context, Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, also stated that Washington is reviewing this agreement. According to Reuters, David Howell, Chairman of the International Relations Committee of the House of Lords, said: 'We can no longer assume that the US will determine the West's approach (and policies) towards the Middle East.' The report mentions the Trump administration's approach towards Iran and the Arab-Israeli conflict. It states that the new US government has the capacity to destabilize the region. The report describes the US President's positions as 'unconstructive' and warns that such an approach could even exacerbate conflicts. It calls for the UK government not to reduce its interactions with Middle Eastern countries, as the UK's exports to this region exceed those to India and China, and investments made in the UK by countries in this region are very significant. Reuters states that the report specifies that the UK should work with European countries to take steps to reduce restrictions on granting bank loans for investment in Iran and prioritize the development of new trade relations with Iran after leaving Europe. This report was published while General Herbert McMaster, National Security Advisor to Donald Trump, expressed confidence that if the US wants to impose new sanctions regarding 'Iran's destructive behaviors,' it will have sufficient support from its allies. Iran and six world powers reached an agreement in 2015 to end the Tehran nuclear dispute, under which the Islamic Republic would limit its nuclear activities in exchange for a reduction in international nuclear sanctions against Iran. The 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' or JCPOA was implemented at the beginning of 2016, and the Obama administration referred to this agreement as one of its achievements. Meanwhile, Trump administration officials have criticized this agreement and consider Iran a factor in tensions in the Middle East. The US Secretary of State previously stated that the mistake made during the negotiation of the nuclear agreement with Iran was that all serious threats posed by Iran, apart from the nuclear threat, were ignored. Rex Tillerson emphasized that Iran is the world's largest supporter of terrorism and is responsible for escalating conflicts in several countries such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon, which harm US interests.