Iran FM Laments Europe Dragging Its Feet on JCPOA

The Iranian minister said Iran’s hands are not tied on JCPOA and Iran will tread in alternative paths if it is disappointed with Europe.

“Following the US withdrawal from the accord, we have lots of options and we will use these options whenever it is within national interests,” he said, speaking in a recent interview with the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV channel.

The Iranian minister said it is undesirable for Iran that Europeans have yet to fulfil their pledges, months after the US walked out of the pact.

“Europeans are slow in meeting their commitments under the nuclear deal. We won’t keep waiting unless they take practical steps,” ISNA quoted him as saying.

In May, the US walked out of the nuclear deal and since then it is working to restore its sanctions on Tehran and push the world to cut trade with Iran.

Tehran has announced its continued commitment to the deal is conditional on EU’s binding guarantees assuring Iran its interests will be served if it remains in the deal.

The EU has offered Iran a support package to compensate for the US pullout, which obliges the European Investment Bank to support EU firms willing to enter Iranian markets, and creates a special payment mechanism, known as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), to facilitate trade with Iran.

Iran has announced the package is acceptable at the macro level, but talks on the details of the package have led to nowhere after several months.