Continued European Reactions to Trump's Withdrawal from the JCPOA

While several American officials have stated that the Trump administration will continue to support the International Atomic Energy Agency's oversight of Iran, European reactions, and in some cases their criticisms of Trump's actions, persist. In response to Trump's recent decision to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran, Bruno Le Maire, the French Minister of Economy, on Friday, May 10, sharply criticized the U.S. government as the 'economic police of the world' and called for Europe to resist this administration. In an interview with 'Europe 1' radio, Le Maire stated that European countries must stand firm against the Trump administration regarding the nuclear agreement. According to the Associated Press, Le Maire said that European countries should not act like 'vassals' of the United States. A day before Le Maire's remarks, the French Foreign Minister also criticized the U.S. action of reinstating sanctions against Iran. However, Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, in a tone described by news agencies as more conciliatory, stated that Trump's decision should not undermine U.S.-European relations. According to Reuters, Merkel, who had previously spoken by phone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, also said that ways to continue the JCPOA 'without the U.S.' should be discussed with Iran. On Tuesday, Trump ended weeks of speculation by announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran and stated that suspended sanctions against Tehran would be reinstated. The U.S. President warned Iran on Wednesday that if it resumes uranium enrichment, it would face 'serious consequences.' He also expressed hope on Thursday that the U.S. would reach a new and fair agreement with Iran. The U.S. Treasury Department has given foreign companies doing business with Iran six months to end their collaborations. Nevertheless, Bruno Le Maire pointed out that in the past two years, France's trade surplus with Iran had 'tripled' and stated that the new U.S. sanctions against Iran would have 'serious consequences' for major French companies such as Total, Renault, and Peugeot. On the other hand, the German news agency reported on Friday, citing an unnamed American official, that the Trump administration is willing to continue the IAEA's oversight of Iran's activities. The news agency quoted a U.S. official at the American mission to the agency in Vienna as saying, 'The United States will continue to support the rigorous implementation of the agency's oversight of Iran.' Under the JCPOA, several Iranian nuclear sites are monitored 24/7 through remote and permanent surveillance cameras, and in addition, Tehran is required to open any site requested by the agency's inspectors within 24 days. European countries supporting the JCPOA have always described the form and type of IAEA oversight of Iran's activities as the best nuclear oversight program. In contrast, Donald Trump and several other officials in the White House, including John Bolton, have emphasized that the agency's oversight of Iran's activities 'is not strict enough.' The U.S. President stated on Thursday, 'We must have access to Iran's sites. We must have access to their military sites to ensure they are not cheating.' Iranian officials have previously rejected any renegotiation of the JCPOA and have repeatedly emphasized that they will never allow inspections of military sites within Iran.