Germany Warns of Potential Escalation of Tensions if Nuclear Deal is Abrogated

Sigmar Gabriel, the German Foreign Minister, reacted on Saturday to the new U.S. strategy towards Iran, warning of the possibility of increased tensions in the Middle East and the strengthening of hardliners in Iran if the nuclear deal is abrogated or new sanctions are imposed. In an interview with German national radio, the foreign minister stated that the abrogation of the nuclear deal would provide justification for those in Iran who have always opposed negotiations with the West and could strengthen the threat of returning to nuclear weapons development. According to a report by the German news agency, Mr. Gabriel added that 'Israel will not tolerate such a thing, and we cannot return to where we were 10 or 12 years ago; facing the risk of war near Europe.' On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration's new strategy towards Iran, stating that he could not certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal. He also mentioned that he had allowed the Treasury Department to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to its sanctions list. The U.S. President warned that if we do not succeed in reaching a solution with Congress and our allies, we will terminate this agreement. Germany had previously expressed concern about the potential U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, stating that it would remain committed to the agreement. Additionally, the leaders of Germany, France, and Britain emphasized their commitment to the JCPOA in a joint statement on Friday night after the announcement of the new U.S. strategy and warned against actions that could harm the nuclear deal, including the reimposition of sanctions. The leaders of these countries, who have been parties to the Iranian nuclear negotiations for over a decade, also stated that they share concerns regarding Iran's missile program and its destabilizing actions in the region and are prepared to take necessary measures in this regard. They also expressed their expectation that Iran commit to constructive dialogue regarding what has been termed destabilizing actions and seek a negotiated solution in this area. Alongside the leaders of these three countries, Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, also reacted to the new U.S. strategy, stating that neither as a global community nor certainly as the European Union can we bear the cost of dissolving an agreement that is beginning to yield results. The temporary nature of parts of the nuclear agreement, Iran's financial benefits from this agreement, the failure of the agreement to prevent missile tests, the limited capacity of inspectors to monitor sites in Iran, and Iran's non-compliance with the spirit of the JCPOA are among the major grievances of Donald Trump regarding the nuclear deal, all of which were emphasized in his speech on Friday night. The U.S. Congress now has a 60-day window to express its opinion on the potential reimposition of sanctions on Iran, and Donald Trump has emphasized that his expectation from Congress is to rectify the flaws of the JCPOA. Part of this process is an initiative by two Republican senators, Bob Corker and Tom Cotton, who are set to present a legislative draft in the coming weeks that aims to amend certain flaws of the JCPOA, including the expiration of the time-limited restrictions known as 'sunset' while maintaining the agreement. In this context, the reaction of Rouhani to the new U.S. strategy: 'As long as Iran's interests require, we will remain in the JCPOA.' The Israeli Prime Minister welcomed the new U.S. strategy towards Iran, and European leaders warned of the consequences of actions that could harm the nuclear agreement. The announcement of the new U.S. strategy towards Iran includes sanctions on the IRGC and the non-certification of compliance with the JCPOA. Germany expressed concern about the potential U.S. exit from the nuclear deal and urged the U.S. to consider a dialogue approach with Iran. The changing landscape of 'proxy wars'; the war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of opponents and the potential radicalization of Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis. 1300 hours of internet outages; Witkoff: a horrific massacre occurred during the protests in Iran.