Mohammad Javad Zarif Urges European Countries to Support the Continuation of the JCPOA

Iran's Foreign Minister defended the Islamic Republic's missile program and urged European countries not to be influenced by "Washington's policy" against Tehran. According to Reuters, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an op-ed published in the American newspaper "The New York Times" on Sunday, December 10, called on European powers to assist in the continuation of the nuclear agreement, the JCPOA. Following the nuclear agreement signed in July 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 countries, which include the UK, France, Germany, China, Russia, and the US, Iran committed to halt its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of several international sanctions against it. Donald Trump's refusal to certify Iran's compliance with the JCPOA in October this year, despite the International Atomic Energy Agency's emphasis on Iran's adherence to the terms of the agreement, is considered a significant blow to the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1. In part of his op-ed, Zarif warned Europe against following the US and stated, "Europe should not succumb to Washington's desires by shifting focus to another unnecessary crisis, whether it is about Iran's missile defense program or our influence in the Middle East." It seems part of the Iranian Foreign Minister's remarks were directed at France, which has recently criticized Iran's missile tests and its policy in the region, including its involvement in the Syrian war. Zarif described Tehran's role in ending the conflict and bloodshed in Syria as "honorable" and noted that his proposal for a ceasefire presented in 2013 was ignored. Last month, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, expressed concern over Iran's missile program and called for negotiations on this issue, a request that was rejected by Iranian officials. Zarif reiterated in his op-ed that Iran's missile program is "defensive" and supported it by stating that "Iran's military capabilities are in accordance with international laws and are entirely defensive." The three European countries, the UK, France, and Germany, which were part of the nuclear agreement with Iran, have emphasized their commitment to the JCPOA despite criticizing Iran's missile program and have expressed concern over Donald Trump's doubts about the agreement. At the end of his op-ed, Zarif criticized Saudi Arabia's policies in the Middle East and military attacks against Yemen, calling for negotiations to establish peace in the region.