Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi held a joint press conference with European Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete on Saturday in Tehran.
At the presser, the Iranian nuclear chief said the country would continue its nuclear energy cooperation with the European Union, adding “we are also cooperating with the EU in the nuclear fusion project.”
The visit of the EU’s energy commissioner is the first presence of a European official in Tehran after US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran says it will stay in the agreement as long as the EU provides solid guarantees that the JCPOA will continue to serve Iran’s economic interests. EU says it is trying to identify ways to shield European companies doing business with Iran from the blacklash of US renewed sanctions.
Salehi went on to add that during his meeting with Mr. Canete, the EU’s top energy official said the bloc has decided to kickstart the ‘blocking statute’, a 1996 law that would prohibit European companies from complying with US sanctions on Iran.
The EU has also promised to take the first steps for facilitating banking issues by ditching dollar and replacing it with euro in doing business with Iran, Salehi added.
“We hope to see the actualization of Europe’s promises in the near future,” Salehi said.
He went on to add, “our future is very bright, because Iran’s position is secure enough to make it very difficult for other countries to exert pressure on us.”
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