Iran: US Talks Meaningless While Sanctions Remain in Place

In a telephone conversation with his French counterpart on Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani lambasted the US government for refusing to honor its commitments by withdrawing from a multilateral and international agreement such as the 2015 nuclear deal.

“From the viewpoint of the Iranian government, parliament and people, negotiation with the US is meaningless while the sanctions are remaining,” Rouhani told Macron.

The president also expressed Iran’s readiness to resume honoring the JCPOA commitments “in case the agreements with Europe are finalized”, reiterating that a meeting between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France, and Germany) could take place only when the sanctions on Iran are lifted.

President Rouhani also thanked his French counterpart for the efforts to resolve the issues, stating that Iran’s third step in reducing commitments to the JCPOA has been taken under the UN nuclear agency’s supervision, and could be reversed.

Solidity of the JCPOA and security in the international shipping routes, as in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, are the two main objectives, the Iranian president added, saying they would benefit the world, including the European Union and even the US.

The JCPOA had provided a great opportunity for investment in Iran and its developing economy, Rouhani noted, stressing, “It is necessary for the European Union, France in particular, to play its role in saving the JCPOA appropriately.”

For his part, Emmanuel Macron explicated France’s measures and intensive negotiations with the US officials about a new package of proposals for an agreement, noting, “France will keep on efforts for the implementation of the JCPOA and reaching an understanding.”

He also expounded on Paris’ future plans for the continuation of negotiations and developing an agreement.

Rouhani and Macron agreed in the telephone conversation to keep up negotiation.

France has stepped up efforts in recent weeks to persuade Tehran to reverse its decision about a phased reduction of commitments to the JCPOA, although the three EU parties to the nuclear deal have failed to honor their own commitments after the US scrapped the accord in May 2018.