Iraqi's Reaction to New European Sanctions Report Aimed at Preserving the JCPOA

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, reacted on Friday, March 15, to a Reuters report about a proposal from three European countries to impose new sanctions against Tehran to preserve the nuclear agreement, the JCPOA. Reuters reported on Friday that it had obtained a confidential document indicating that the UK, France, and Germany proposed that the European Union impose sanctions on Iran due to its missile program and its role in Syria, in order to persuade the United States to maintain the nuclear agreement with Iran. According to IRNA, Abbas Araghchi stated in response to the Reuters report: 'If some European countries are seeking to take actions such as imposing non-nuclear sanctions on Iran to please the President of the United States, they will be making a significant miscalculation and will see the direct consequences of that on the JCPOA and the continuation of this agreement.' The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister added: 'It is better for European countries to continue to seek the United States' adherence to its commitments under the JCPOA, as they have done so far, and to encourage that country to implement the JCPOA effectively in all areas with goodwill and in a more constructive atmosphere, as there is no other way to preserve the JCPOA except for the full commitment of the United States and other parties to the JCPOA to all their obligations.' Reuters states that according to this confidential document, these three European countries have proposed to prepare a list of companies and individuals related to Iran's ballistic missile program or its intervention in Syria for sanctions. Reuters evaluated this initiative from the three European countries as an effort to persuade Donald Trump, the President of the United States, to maintain the nuclear agreement with Iran. Iran and six world powers reached an agreement in 2015 to end the dispute over Iran's nuclear program. Under this agreement, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of nuclear sanctions against Tehran. However, Donald Trump, who was a serious critic of the JCPOA even before taking office, threatened on January 12 that if his fundamental concerns regarding the nuclear agreement with Iran were not addressed, he would not extend the suspension of nuclear sanctions under this agreement. The deadline set by the U.S. President ends on May 12, 2018. The U.S. President has set four conditions for continuing U.S. participation in the JCPOA, which are: 'immediate access' for international inspectors to all Iranian sites and facilities, making the restrictions on Iran's nuclear program permanent, ensuring that Iran does not approach nuclear weapons, and limiting Iran's long-range missile program; as Mr. Trump stated, the long-range missile program and Iran's nuclear weapons program are 'inseparable.' Previously, reports had emerged indicating that European countries were trying to somehow address U.S. concerns to gain Donald Trump's approval to maintain the JCPOA. However, Reuters reported on Friday that what is included in this new confidential document from these three European countries is far beyond expectations compared to a similar document from last month regarding negotiations between Germany, France, and the UK with the U.S. In this context, diplomats told Reuters that the foreign ministers of EU member countries will review the proposal from these three European countries at their meeting in Brussels on Monday. Reuters states that analysts believe the JCPOA, which was once considered a success in reducing the risk of widespread war in the Middle East, is on the verge of collapse with Washington's withdrawal from it. Meanwhile, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, has stated that if the U.S. exits the JCPOA, such an action would be a 'painful mistake' for that country. However, U.S. State Department officials have refrained from commenting before this issue is finalized by European countries. Reuters reports that the proposal document from the three European countries will impose sanctions on entities, individuals, and figures, including 'militants and commanders.' According to this report, European countries have expressed concern over the 'proliferation' of Iran's missile capabilities in the Middle East, and for this reason, sanctions against individuals and entities related to the ballistic missile program have been proposed. These sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes for individuals as well as prohibitions on transactions and financing for private and public companies. Reuters, citing diplomats, stated that Europeans have become disillusioned with negotiations with Iran to address concerns about its missile program, as these negotiations have made no progress. The confidential document states that Iran has not been willing to commit to halting its 'destabilizing missile activities' during this period under the nuclear agreement. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, emphasized before his trip to Iran on March 4 that Tehran's missile program 'with a range of several thousand kilometers' is contrary to UN Security Council resolutions and 'if this issue is not resolved, Iran will face the risk of new sanctions.' Iranian officials have always described Iran's missile program as 'defensive and deterrent' and have declared that discussions about it are a red line for the country under any circumstances.