German Foreign Minister: The Collapse of the JCPOA Sends a Message for the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

The German Foreign Minister, who has traveled to Washington for talks with U.S. officials, states that the collapse of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the six global powers would send a "devastating message" that would lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the German news agency before his trip to the United States that "if this agreement fails, it is like sending a devastating message towards the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region [Middle East] and across the world." He also mentioned that "the recent missile test in North Korea shows that tensions are potentially increasing, stemming from unresolved crises." Gabriel's reference is to North Korea's latest missile test, which experts believe could reach Washington, threatening all of U.S. territory. The United States has warned North Korea that if war breaks out, its government will be "completely destroyed." The German Foreign Minister is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday morning. He is part of a European delegation consisting of representatives from Britain, France, and Germany, who have traveled to Washington to discuss the nuclear agreement between Tehran and the six global powers. Previously, CNN reported, citing a European diplomat, that this group is set to meet with U.S. lawmakers, senior State Department officials, and possibly White House officials on Thursday and Friday. The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Britain, alongside John Kerry, the then U.S. Secretary of State, and their counterparts from China and Russia, reached the nuclear agreement with Mohammad Javad Zarif and Iranian officials in July 2015. Donald Trump, who during his election campaign stated he would abandon this agreement if elected, has repeatedly referred to it as the "worst deal" he has seen. Trump and his administration have accused Iran of undermining regional and global stability and violating the spirit of the nuclear agreement through various actions, including missile tests. The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations has also called for increased inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of Iran's nuclear facilities, stating that "some countries" are trying to prevent further inspections. The IAEA has so far confirmed Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement. Tehran has consistently expressed its dissatisfaction with what it calls the "obstruction" by the U.S. in fully implementing the JCPOA, asserting that its missile program is defensive in nature and will continue. Trump, in the last 90-day deadline to report on the nuclear agreement to Congress, refrained from declaring Iran's compliance with the JCPOA, effectively leaving its fate in the hands of U.S. lawmakers. In this context, Germany has expressed concern about the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from the nuclear agreement, stating that Iran is still trying to purchase components used in missile production. The foreign ministers of the European Union have called for U.S. Congress support for the Iranian nuclear agreement, warning of the potential for increased tensions if the nuclear agreement is terminated.