European Union: Sanctions Will Not Be Reinstated If Iran Adheres to JCPOA

On Wednesday, the European Union expressed deep regret over the United States' withdrawal from the JCPOA and announced that as long as Iran remains committed to the agreement, the EU will not reinstate its sanctions. The European Council issued a statement on Wednesday, May 8, expressing 'deep' regret over Washington's exit from the nuclear deal with Iran. The EU's statement noted: 'The JCPOA, which was unanimously endorsed in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, is a key component of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and is vital for regional security.' On Tuesday, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran as promised and announced that U.S. sanctions against Iran would be reactivated. In response to this decision, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated after Trump's speech that he had instructed the Foreign Ministry to negotiate with European countries regarding the JCPOA to ensure Iran's interests are met, allowing Tehran to remain in the agreement. Meanwhile, Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, harshly criticized the U.S. on Wednesday, stating that he does not 'trust' the Europeans either. The EU further emphasized in its statement: 'As long as Iran remains committed to its nuclear obligations, as it has been so far, and has been confirmed ten times in a row by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the EU will remain committed to the full and effective implementation of the nuclear agreement.' The European Council considers the lifting of nuclear sanctions to be 'an essential part' of the JCPOA and adds: 'The EU has repeatedly emphasized that the lifting of these sanctions has a positive impact on trade and economic relations with Iran.' The European Council, which includes the leaders of 28 EU countries, the President of the European Commission, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the Union, emphasized its commitment 'to ensure the possibility of continuing (the lifting of sanctions).' While the EU speaks of guarantees for lifting sanctions, even before the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, major European financial and banking institutions had refrained from cooperating with Iran due to fears of unilateral U.S. penalties. Additionally, since some parts of Airbus aircraft are American, the delivery of custom aircraft to Iran is also shrouded in uncertainty. In conclusion, the EU described the JCPOA as the result of 12 years of diplomacy and stated that it is determined to preserve this agreement in cooperation with the international community. In recent months, the leaders of France, Germany, and the UK have been trying to preserve the JCPOA with some modifications, but they have not succeeded. Before its withdrawal, the U.S. government had called for expanding inspections beyond the provisions of the JCPOA, permanently limiting Iran's nuclear program, and restricting Iran's ballistic missile program.