Shamkhani Criticizes EU's JCPOA Promises in Meeting with British Foreign Minister

Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, criticized the 'inadequate cooperation of the European Union' following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA during a meeting with British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt. Hunt, who visited Tehran, met with Shamkhani among other officials. Shamkhani stated that the nuclear negotiations and the JCPOA were hosted and facilitated by the EU, and the violation of the agreement by the U.S. undermines the EU's dignity, credibility, and political standing. Jeremy Hunt is the first senior Western official to visit Iran after the implementation of U.S. oil sanctions. The UK has been involved in nuclear negotiations since the presidency of Mohammad Khatami and has signed various agreements during the administrations of Khatami and Hassan Rouhani. The EU, which is striving to preserve the JCPOA, has yet to operationalize a financial mechanism for trade with Iran, with one of the last obstacles being the identification of a European country to host this mechanism.