Poland: We will help preserve the JCPOA, but U.S. concerns are understandable

Mateusz Morawiecki, the Prime Minister of Poland, stated on Tuesday, May 22, that his country is willing to become the main venue for discussions between the United States and the European Union regarding the JCPOA. According to the Associated Press, this stance somewhat distances Poland from the position of other EU countries that have not endorsed the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran. Jacek Czaputowicz, the Polish Foreign Minister, also mentioned during his visit to Washington on Monday: 'We are ready to cooperate with the EU to mitigate the damage caused by the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, although we also understand the U.S. concerns in terms of strategic and security dimensions.' Following the U.S. exit from the Iranian nuclear agreement, Washington has warned that it will reinstate all sanctions against Tehran and impose additional sanctions. While other countries involved in the JCPOA – Russia, China, France, the UK, and Germany – have expressed their desire for Iran to remain in the agreement, it remains unclear whether they can maintain economic cooperation with Tehran under U.S. sanctions. The German Minister of Economy acknowledged in an interview published on Tuesday that his government and other European governments are unable to provide 'full support' to companies against U.S. sanctions on Iran. However, Federica Mogherini responded to recent statements by the U.S. Secretary of State, stating: 'The JCPOA is the result of a decade of complex and sensitive negotiations' and 'as long as Iran adheres to its nuclear commitments, the EU remains committed to the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA.' On Monday, Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, outlined 12 demands from Iran and stated that his country will impose the toughest sanctions against Tehran.