US Consultations with Britain, France, and Germany Regarding Iran

On Monday, May 13, the spokesperson for the US State Department stated that Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, has recently held intensive negotiations with his French, British, and German counterparts regarding Iran. According to Reuters, Heather Nauert, the spokesperson for the US State Department, said in a statement that Secretary Pompeo has discussed with Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Minister, and Heiko Maas, the German Foreign Minister. She added that Mr. Pompeo emphasized the shared interests of the US and Europe in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and countering Iran's destabilizing activities in the region during these negotiations. Ms. Nauert clarified that the Secretary of State also expressed hope for continuing serious and forward-looking cooperation, referring to joint efforts in recent months to address common threats. This statement comes as the Iranian Foreign Minister arrived in Brussels on Monday to negotiate with the foreign ministers of the three European countries regarding Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA. Donald Trump, the US President, and other officials in his administration insist that the JCPOA has not curtailed the Islamic Republic's behavior in the region. John Bolton, Trump's National Security Advisor, has also stated that the JCPOA in its current form has 'fundamental flaws' and does not 'block Iran's path to a nuclear bomb.' Following the announcement of the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, the US Treasury Department announced that foreign companies doing business with Iran have a maximum of six months to terminate their contracts with Tehran. US officials say they hope to bring Iran back to the negotiating table by increasing pressure on the Islamic Republic. Donald Trump also threatened the Islamic Republic again one day after withdrawing from the JCPOA, stating that 'Iran must either negotiate or something else will happen.' Meanwhile, Iran has so far rejected any renegotiation regarding the JCPOA. In this context, an advisor to Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, said on Monday that the risk of US sanctions against European companies dealing with Iran and the imposition of import tariffs on steel and aluminum by Washington is a test for defending European independence and requires a decisive response. In this context, Lavrov stated that the interests of Russia and China lie in preserving the JCPOA. Zarif, in a letter to Guterres, called for the US to be held 'responsible' for its withdrawal from the JCPOA. Trump stated that Iran was trying to dominate the Middle East. Macron's advisor emphasized that the risk of US sanctions is a test for defending European independence. Zarif urged Europeans to provide guarantees to Iran regarding the JCPOA. The German Foreign Minister stated that protecting German companies against US sanctions is difficult. Mike Pompeo stated that the US is seeking a new nuclear agreement with Iran.