Zarif: The Implementation of Europe's Proposals for Iran to Remain in the JCPOA is Still Unclear

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, stated that the specifics of implementing Europe's proposals for Tehran to remain in the JCPOA are still not clearly defined. Following the United States' withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran has initiated intensive negotiations with Russia, China, and three European countries - Britain, France, and Germany - which Mr. Zarif elaborated on in an interview with Tasnim news agency on Saturday, May 25. According to him, 'The negotiations with Europe are not black and white, and we need to see what the Europeans ultimately offer.' Mr. Zarif noted, 'The Europeans have referred to all the important areas that need to be addressed in the JCPOA in the nine points they announced; now the issue is how each of these points will be operationalized.' Last week, Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, announced nine items following her meeting with Mohammad Javad Zarif, which Iranian and EU experts are set to discuss. These items include how to continue economic cooperation between Tehran and Europe, which has been jeopardized by the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, including the sale of Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemical products, financial transactions, investment in Iran, and support for European economic actors in Iran. Mr. Zarif stated, 'Right now, we do not know what they [the Europeans] will offer... Of course, the Foreign Ministry is not an economic entity; we are a political entity, although colleagues from other agencies are also with us and provide their opinions.' He added, 'The results of the negotiations and discussions must come internally, and the country's officials must assess whether what the EU, Russia, China, and other countries have offered is sufficient for continuing the JCPOA or not.' Tasnim also asked whether Europe raises the issue of the Islamic Republic's missile program in its negotiations with Iran, to which Mohammad Javad Zarif denied. He replied, 'That news [regarding negotiations about the missile program] was completely false; the EU itself denied that news. This is a psychological operation launched by the Zionist regime to disseminate such statements, while we have repeatedly stated that we only negotiate about the JCPOA and have no demands or statements outside of it.' Iran's missile program is one of the issues that Washington has focused on and has called for negotiations with Iran to reach a new agreement. Europe has also expressed concern regarding Iran's missile program, but Tehran insists it will not negotiate on this matter. Negotiations between Iran and the three countries, Britain, Germany, and France, are taking place while reports indicate that some European companies are refusing to invest in Iran and cooperate economically with Tehran due to fears of U.S. sanctions against themselves for collaborating with the Islamic Republic. Iran has asked Europe to guarantee the cooperation of these companies with Tehran. However, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, stated that French companies must decide for themselves regarding trade with Iran. The U.S. has warned that if Tehran does not accept Washington's conditions, the most severe sanctions in history will be imposed on it. These conditions include halting uranium enrichment and not supporting groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis in Yemen. Previously, Iranian parliament representatives quoted Mr. Zarif as saying that 'the JCPOA, in Mr. Zarif's view, is a dying patient in the ICU and in very difficult condition.'