EU Expresses Serious Concern Over Iran's Ballistic Missile Activities

On Monday, February 4, the European Union summarized its position regarding Iran, stating that it is "seriously concerned" about Tehran's ballistic missile activities and urged the Islamic Republic to cease these activities, especially the launch of ballistic missiles. The EU's statement consists of 12 points and addresses a wide range of issues related to Iran, including its ballistic missile program, Tehran's role in the region, the establishment of a special financial and commercial mechanism, Iran's compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA, and Tehran's hostile activities in several European capitals. The statement specifies that "Iran continues its efforts to increase the range and accuracy of its missiles and has increased the number of missile tests and launches." The EU states that "these types of activities create distrust and instability in the region. The European Council calls on Iran to take necessary actions to respect all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding the transfer of missiles, technology, and related materials to state and non-state actors in the region." Earlier, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, warned Tehran that if the discussions regarding Iran's ballistic missile program yield no results, Paris is prepared to impose new sanctions against Tehran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry and military commanders have rejected the request for dialogue about this program, stating that these missiles are not capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Tehran has also stated that it does not intend to increase the range of its missiles. The UN Security Council, based on Resolution 2231, has called on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. U.S. intelligence agencies reported on February 1 that Iran's ballistic missile program, which has the largest stockpile in the region, remains a threat to countries across the Middle East in 2019. Dan Coats, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Intelligence Committee that Tehran possesses the "largest ballistic missile force" in the Middle East and is capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometers from Iran's borders. The U.S. cited Iran's missile activities as one of the reasons for its withdrawal from the JCPOA on May 8 of this year. The European Council, in its statement, also expressed "deep concern" over Iran's "hostile activities" on the territory of several of its member countries and called on the Islamic Republic to immediately cease such "unacceptable behaviors." This European body also expressed concern over rising tensions in the Middle East and Tehran's role in this context, including military, financial, and political support for non-state actors in countries such as Syria and Lebanon. Support for the JCPOA and the special financial mechanism In another part of the EU's statement on Monday, referring to the support of Security Council Resolution 2231 for the agreement between global powers and Iran over its nuclear program, it emphasized its firm commitment and continued support for the JCPOA, stating that this agreement is a "key element in the architecture of global non-proliferation and a multilateral diplomatic achievement that the United Nations Security Council members have unanimously endorsed." The EU appreciated Iran's commitment to fully implement its obligations under the JCPOA and stated that the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed Tehran's compliance in 13 consecutive reports, including the report dated November 12, 2018. The statement noted that the lifting of sanctions on Iran under the JCPOA is a "vital element" and expressed regret over the return of U.S. sanctions following its withdrawal from the JCPOA. The EU also stated that it is working to ensure that Iran benefits from the extensive advantages resulting from the JCPOA. "This issue has also been addressed in the establishment of a special mechanism registered as a private entity by France, Germany, and the UK, aimed at positively influencing trade and economic exchanges with Iran." The European Council welcomed progress in necessary reforms to combat money laundering and called on Iran to approve and implement the necessary regulations to fulfill its commitments under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action plan. "The EU and its member states are also ready to continue their cooperation with Iran in these areas, including providing technical assistance for the implementation of FATF."