Europe Has Limited Time to Save Iran Nuclear Deal: Rouhani

Hassan Rouhani made the comment in a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday.

“The JCPOA was the result of long-running and constant efforts from 2003 to 2015, and it is an international agreement as it has been approved by the UN Security Council,” said the Iranian President as reported by Fars News Agency.

President Rouhani described US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal as a cheap move.

“While remaining fully committed to its obligations under the JCPOA, Iran has pursued, and will pursue the achievement of national interests; but unfortunately, the other side has not had a satisfactory performance when it comes to making good on its commitments,” the Iranian president noted.

“Contrary to Trump’s illusion, [uranium enrichment] in Iran has never been aimed at achieving nuclear weapon s; rather, it has been a scientific and technical attempt to boost national pride and meet the needs of Iranian people,” Rouhani underlined.

He said foreign ministers and expert groups of Iran and European Union countries should hold meetings within just several weeks to review issues related to the preservation of the JCPOA and arrive at a clear decision.

“Iran’s interests should be clearly and straightforwardly specified and guaranteed in topics and key issues related to the maintenance of the JCPOA such as oil sales, banking relations, investment and insurance,” President Rouhani said.

He said foreign companies which have signed contracts with, or invested in Iran should clearly announce their decisions on how they are going to deal with Washington’s pullout from the JCPOA.

“If we reach a clear decision on the JCPOA in a limited and specific period of time, we will witness a broader interaction between Iran and Europe.

“Consultations and cooperation between Iran and France will continue in line with securing common interests as well as security and stability in the region,” said the president.

Rouhani underscored that what the US president did was a wrong move.

“Today, we have a historic responsibility to preserve the JCPOA, and history in the future will prove that Trump has made a big mistake,” he said.

“Unfortunately, Europe missed the four-month-long chance that it could use to preserve thee JCPOA, and spend that time on convincing the new US administration to stay in the JCPOA.”

The French president, in turn, expressed regret over Trump’s decision to pull out of the JCPOA, saying European countries have, in a collective reaction, expressed their objection to the decision.

He said Trump’s decision has even triggered a sense of conflict in the US, and underlined the need to safeguard the framework of the JCPOA. He urged all parties to the agreement to deliver on their commitments. Macron said Europe will consistently try to preserve the deal.

The French president said “we can plan how to get involved in activities beyond the JCPOA through the enhancement of cooperation.”

He said extensive cooperation between Iran and Europe is instrumental in boosting peace and security in the region.