Europe Has No Choice but to Fulfill JCPOA Pledges: Iran

In a Friday statement, Qassemi referred to the latest remarks by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Paris’ concern over Tehran’s missile program and regional policies, and said the Islamic Republic has repeatedly stated that such concerns are undue ones founded on their misunderstanding or lack of knowledge about Iran.

The spokesman underlined that the nuclear talks which led to the strong multilateral treaty were an attempt to use logical and peaceful means to resolve problems, and revealed Iran’s good-faith and commitment to the principle of talks.

“The Islamic Republic’s commitment could have served as a basis and yardstick for assessing the good-faith and commitment of the Western states to their pledges,” he noted.

However, he said, the Western sides showed an indefensible performance as the mobocrat, greedy and boastful government of the US unilaterally pulled out of the JCPOA and other parties remained passive and stood idle.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman underlined that Tehran has always proved that it is not afraid of talks and negotiations, and believes in dialogue.

He went on to say that the comprehensive attempts by Iran and other world powers have been simply foiled by the bullying and greedy behaviours of an ally of the French foreign minister’s country and the Europeans’ failure to stand against them.

“Amid the current situation in which the European politicians have decided to only pay lip service and failed to take any considerable measure to offer necessary and sufficient guarantees to Iran in order to safeguard the international treaty as one of the most significant diplomatic achievement, there is no reason, necessity, credibility, or trust for holding new negotiations at all, let alone on some non-negotiable issues,” he said.

Qassemi said the French foreign minister is aware that under current circumstances and based on earlier agreements, the Europeans have no other way but to desperately fulfill their pledges under the deal.

“Iran and the Iranians also have no other option but to remain distrustful until the pledges are met,” he added.

“The world and the French politicians know it well that Iran’s regional policies are aimed at establishing regional and international peace and security and fighting against terrorism and extremism,” he said.

Qassemi noted that if some tension- and crisis-mongering states are not pleased with the Islamic Republic’s regional policies, they can change their own approaches.

“On Iran’s missile program, we once again affirm that the program is totally defensive, local and legal. It is highly critical for protecting Iran and the Iranian nation against others. So, it is not negotiable at all,” he concluded.

In an address to a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Vienna on Thursday, France’s top diplomat Le Drian said Iran cannot avoid talks on “contentious issues like its ballistic missile program or meddling in conflicts in the Middle East, if it wants Europe to uphold the nuclear deal.”

He went on to say that Iran must respect the fundamentals of the JCPOA, adding “I think that is the case, but Iran cannot avoid discussions, negotiations on three other major subjects that worry us.”