Zarif: Europeans Have Fallen Short in Implementing Nuclear Agreement

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized European countries for their performance regarding the JCPOA, stating that they have "fallen short" in fulfilling their commitments. In an interview with the Russia Al-Youm television network, Zarif reiterated Iran's adherence to the nuclear agreement and urged Europe to remain committed to all its obligations. He stated, "I do not want to say that Europeans have shirked their JCPOA commitments or violated them, but they have fallen short in their implementation." Europe, which opposed Washington's decision to withdraw from the nuclear agreement, designed a special mechanism for trade with Iran that protects European companies from U.S. sanctions. This financial mechanism, named INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges), was officially registered on January 31, but has yet to be implemented. Although Zarif believes that INSTEX is "not a financial mechanism in the true sense," he praised it, saying, "This mechanism could be a smart way to circumvent sanctions and compensate for Iran's losses due to sanctions." Zarif then promised that INSTEX would "expand to include countries outside the European Union and cover various goods." The three European countries of Germany, France, and Britain stated in a declaration announcing the official registration of INSTEX that the focus of this financial mechanism would be on essential goods such as medicine, medical equipment, and food. However, Zarif insists that Europe must go beyond this and fulfill its other commitments. He stated, "After the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, Europeans proposed twelve commitments, including establishing financial relations with Iran, pouring European investment into Tehran, and selling oil and receiving the proceeds from its sale through banks." Zarif deemed the implementation of these commitments not only important for protecting Iran's interests but also described it as "prestigious" for Europeans. Previously, the U.S. State Department noted that Europe's financial mechanism would not reduce maximum pressure on Iran. In this context, the CEO of the Austrian oil company OMV stated that Europe's financial channel lacks the necessary capacity to support companies, which is why this company has halted its projects in Iran.