Rouhani: I Will Discuss JCPOA with Leaders of Russia and China Next Week

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, announced that he will meet with the leaders of China and Russia next week to discuss the future of the JCPOA. On Wednesday evening, June 2, during a meeting with officials and Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, he stated: "Today we are negotiating with the other five countries of the JCPOA, and although they claim to be committed to the JCPOA in language and political statements, we need to see how they will act in practice." Following the U.S. withdrawal from the international JCPOA agreement, the European Union, Russia, and China have expressed their desire to maintain this agreement with Iran. Iran has stated that it will remain in the JCPOA if its interests are secured by this agreement. In response, the European Commission has reactivated the process of the "Blocking Regulation" on sanctions, established in 1994. This regulation was created to protect European companies from the impact of U.S. sanctions against Cuba in the 1990s. According to the European Commission, if the European Council (composed of EU leaders) and the European Parliament do not oppose this action within the next two months, the regulation will be implemented. The European Commission has also asked its 28 member countries to prepare for direct exchanges between their central banks and the Central Bank of Iran. In this context, on Saturday, May 29, immediately after the European Commission's decision, Miguel Arias Cañete, the EU Energy Commissioner, announced the EU's determination to deepen economic relations with Iran during a meeting with Iranian officials in Tehran. In another part of his remarks, Hassan Rouhani stated that in the coming weeks, contact with Germany, France, and the UK will continue, saying: "If these five countries can secure our country's interests, especially our economic interests in the JCPOA, we will continue the JCPOA without the U.S.; otherwise, we will make the necessary decisions, and the country will be well managed with or without the JCPOA." Following the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, U.S. banking and oil sanctions against Iran will be implemented in 90 and 180-day intervals. The U.S. has asked international companies to cease cooperation with Iran. Fears of being caught by U.S. penalties have forced several large companies, such as Total and Maersk Shipping, to announce their exit from Iran. On the other hand, in response to U.S. secondary sanctions, Bruno Le Maire, the French Finance Minister, announced on Sunday, May 30, that Paris is considering compensation from the European Union for companies harmed by the sanctions. On Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei cited the "withdrawal and hesitation of large European companies and the statements of officials from the three European countries" as reasons for his lack of trust in the "European JCPOA." European leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, have stated that they cannot compel large companies that interact with the U.S. to remain in Iran. The Supreme Leader has listed the lack of discussion on non-JCPOA issues such as missile activities and Iran's regional presence, as well as Europe's commitment to purchasing Iranian oil, as conditions for remaining in the JCPOA.