Iran says Europe’s support for nuclear deal not enough

TEHRAN: The European Union is not doing enough to preserve the benefits for Iran from the 2015 international nuclear pact following the withdrawal of the United States, Iran´s foreign minister told the EU´s energy chief on Sunday.

“With the withdrawal of America, (Iran´s) public expectations from the European Union have increased in order to maintain the deal´s gains, and in the current context, the European political support for the accord is not sufficient,” Mohammad Javad Zarif told Miguel Arias Canete in Tehran, Iran´s state news agency IRNA reported. “We have to preserve this agreement so we don´t have to negotiate a new agreement,” Arias Canete told Western journalist after two days of meetings with Iranian officials in Tehran. “Our message is very clear. This is a nuclear agreement that works.

“Under the deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for the lifting of most Western sanctions. With the threat of new US sanctions looming over them, some foreign firms have already started signaling their intention to pull back from Iran. “The announcement of the possible withdrawal by major European companies from their cooperation with Iran is not consistent with the European Union´s commitment to implementing (the nuclear deal),” Zarif was quoted as saying.

EU sources deny report of proposed new nuclear deal with financial aid for Iran: Three European Union sources have denied that diplomats meeting in Vienna on Friday to salvage the imperilled Iranian nuclear deal after Washington withdrew will discuss offering Iran financial aid in exchange for concessions. A German newspaper reported on Sunday that diplomats from Britain, Germany, France, China and Russia will meet in Vienna on Friday to discuss next steps after the May 8 decision by US President Donald Trump to pull out of a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran.

The Welt am Sonntag newspaper cited an unnamed senior EU official as saying that the diplomats would discuss a proposal for a new agreement between Iran and world powers that would be the same as the 2015 deal but with some additions to appease the United States. These could include provisions to address US concerns over Iran’s ballistic missile programme and Tehran’s support of armed groups in the Middle East, the source said.