EU Helga Schmid stress need for preserving JCPOA at end of Iran visit

While in Iran as the last leg of her Persian Gulf tour on Saturday, Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Helga Schmid, met with different Iranian diplomats including Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi and the senior assistant to Iranian foreign minister in special political affairs Ali Asghar Khaji to discuss the Iran nuclear deal or the so-called JCPOA and ways to preserve it.

According to a report on Schmid's trip by the website of European External Action Service (EEAS), she used the opportunity of the visit to Iran to reiterate the EU's continued commitment to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran nuclear deal), which is key to increasing stability and security in the Middle East and a crucial element of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.

The EEAS report added that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed so far in 15 reports that Iran abided by its nuclear-related commitments. 

The report also said that Secretary-General discussed in Iran the current EU efforts, together with other European partners, to enable the continuation of legitimate trade with Iran, including through the operationalization of the special purpose vehicle "INSTEX".

European signatories, who claim they are trying to keep the accord alive by launching the long-awaited INSTEX to help Iran reap some benefits from the JCPOA, have so far failed to secure Iran's benefits from the pact.

Running out of patience with the EU's inaction in the face of the growing US pressure, Iran reduced its commitments under the deal on May 8, which marked the anniversary of US illegal withdrawal from the deal, and warned the EU that it would adopt new decisions about uranium enrichment after 60 days if its demands in relation to banking relations and oil sales were not met.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that the 60-day deadline would by no means be extended, stressing that Tehran would proceed with the next steps unless the JCPOA parties met Iran’s demands.

KI/PR