In a statement on Sunday to Iran’s public broadcaster IRIB, the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif expressed concern over European investment in Iran. European companies may be freezing their investment programmes until it is clear how Brussels can shield them from US sanctions, Mr Zarif said.
The statement came after a meeting with the EU Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete, just as the French energy behemoth, Total, announced it is freezing its €4.1 billion investment programme.
“The EU’s political support for the nuclear agreement is not sufficient,” Zarif said, calling on European companies to scale up their commitment.
Although Europe remains committed to the 2015 framework agreement with Iran, individual companies fear that US secondary sanctions are forcing them to choose between the US market and Iran.
Zarif committed on Sunday to a new meeting next Friday in Vienna with Britain, Germany, France, China and Russia, without US participation.
Partners to the 2015 agreement are seeking to broker a compromise between Tehran and Washington to keep the negotiation on track.
According to a Welt am Sonntag report, EU officials are exploring the possibility of widening the scope of the 2015 deal to appease Washington.
These claims were dismissed by Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, as “irrelevant,” Tasnim news agency reports. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that the meeting in Vienna, without US participation, will address “how the remaining countries can continue their commitment to the deal.”
In line with the Iranian statement, three EU sources told Reuters that the meeting in Vienna will not offer additional financial incentives to Tehran. Instead, the meeting will focus on the implementation of the 2015 deal alone.
In the meantime, the US State Department issued a statement on Sunday suggesting Washington is open to working with partners to address common concerns over Iran’s missile programme and Tehran’s role in regional conflicts.
On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will call for European support in Washington’s “roadmap” to force Iran back on the negotiating table. It is unclear Washington will be able to rally support by Europe, Russia or China after unilaterally withdrawing from 2015 framework agreement.
The 2015 legacy agreement for the Obama administration was expected to deliver the end of economic isolation for Iran, empowering reformist-minded politicians such as President Hassan Rouhani. Critics have since noted that the deal has done little to contain Iran’s involvement in regional conflicts as well as contain Tehran’s missile programme.
Still, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the agreement designed to contain the weaponization of Iran’s nuclear capability has been contained. But, in line with his 2016 electoral promise, the Trump administration withdrew from the agreement on May 8.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/51-meet-vienna-friday-salvage-iran-deal/