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‘It’s not up to single country to terminate Iran nuclear deal’ – EU foreign policy chief ‘It’s not up to single country to terminate Iran nuclear deal’ – EU foreign policy chief
(35 minutes later)
The 2015 Iran nuclear deal is not a “bilateral agreement,” and it cannot be terminated by any single country, EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said in response to Donald Trump’s announcement that he is not re-certifying the deal.The 2015 Iran nuclear deal is not a “bilateral agreement,” and it cannot be terminated by any single country, EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said in response to Donald Trump’s announcement that he is not re-certifying the deal.
“It is not a bilateral agreement. It does not belong to any single country and it is not up to any single country to terminate it,” Mogherini announced. “It is not a bilateral agreement. It does not belong to any single country and it is not up to any single country to terminate it,”  she announced.
“We cannot afford as an international community, as Europe for sure, to dismantle a nuclear agreement that is working,” she added. “We cannot afford as an international community, as Europe for sure, to dismantle a nuclear agreement that is working,” Mogherini added.
The Russian Foreign Ministry slammed Trump’s speech, saying that any use of “aggressive” rhetoric in international relations is “unacceptable” and is also “doomed to fail.”The Russian Foreign Ministry slammed Trump’s speech, saying that any use of “aggressive” rhetoric in international relations is “unacceptable” and is also “doomed to fail.”
In its statement, the ministry stressed that any renewal of UN sanctions against Iran is “out of the question.” It further denounced the actions of the US administration as “vestiges of the past” that “are at odds with the modern norms of civilized communication between countries.”In its statement, the ministry stressed that any renewal of UN sanctions against Iran is “out of the question.” It further denounced the actions of the US administration as “vestiges of the past” that “are at odds with the modern norms of civilized communication between countries.”
Israel called Trump’s move “very significant,” adding that it might actually lead to a war with Iran. “Iran is the new North Korea. We see where things are going,” Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz told Israel’s Channel 2, speaking about the possibility of war.Israel called Trump’s move “very significant,” adding that it might actually lead to a war with Iran. “Iran is the new North Korea. We see where things are going,” Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz told Israel’s Channel 2, speaking about the possibility of war.
Saudi Arabia welcomed what it called “the resolute strategy announced by US President Donald Trump towards Iran and its aggressive approach.”Saudi Arabia welcomed what it called “the resolute strategy announced by US President Donald Trump towards Iran and its aggressive approach.”
The Kingdom said that Iran “exploited the economic benefits of lifting the sanctions” by speeding up the development of its missile program and boosting its support of various militant groups, including Hezbollah and the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen, as reported by Saudi state news agency SPA.The Kingdom said that Iran “exploited the economic benefits of lifting the sanctions” by speeding up the development of its missile program and boosting its support of various militant groups, including Hezbollah and the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen, as reported by Saudi state news agency SPA.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also welcomed Trump’s move by calling it a “courageous decision.”
“President Trump has just created an opportunity to fix this bad deal, to roll back Iran's aggression and to confront its criminal support of terrorism," he said, as cited by the Jerusalem Post.
Netanyahu also urged “every responsible government and any person concerned with the peace and security of the world” to follow Israel’s footsteps and support the US president’s move.
At the same time, Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz called Trump’s move “very significant,” adding that it might lead to war with Iran. “Iran is the new North Korea. We see where things are going,” he told Israel’s Channel 2.
The UK, France and Germany said in a joint statement that the respective deal is in their “shared national security interest.” The three countries noted that they “stand committed” to the deal and “its full implementation by all sides.”The UK, France and Germany said in a joint statement that the respective deal is in their “shared national security interest.” The three countries noted that they “stand committed” to the deal and “its full implementation by all sides.”
The European states also urged the US administration and Congress “to consider the implications to the security of the US and its allies before taking any steps that might undermine” the agreement.The European states also urged the US administration and Congress “to consider the implications to the security of the US and its allies before taking any steps that might undermine” the agreement.
However, they also said that they share the US concerns over the Iranian ballistic missile program and called on Iran “to engage in constructive dialogue to stop de-stabilizing actions and work towards negotiated solutions.”However, they also said that they share the US concerns over the Iranian ballistic missile program and called on Iran “to engage in constructive dialogue to stop de-stabilizing actions and work towards negotiated solutions.”
In a separate move, French President Emmanuel Macron also reassured his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, that France is still committed to the deal.In a separate move, French President Emmanuel Macron also reassured his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, that France is still committed to the deal.
Earlier on Friday, US President Donald Trump announced that he is deferring the matter to the US Congress, so that it could amend the agreement and “strengthen its enforcement.” The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) once again confirmed that Iran is fulfilling its commitments under the 2015 deal. “The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the [deal] are being implemented,” the IAEA director general, Yukiya Amano, said in a statement on Friday.
The head of the IAEA added that Tehran provided the organization’s inspectors with “broader access to information and locations” on Iranian territory, and said that “the IAEA has had access to all locations it needed to visit.”
Earlier on Friday, Trump announced that he is deferring the matter to the US Congress, so that it could amend the agreement and “strengthen its enforcement.”
He once again claimed that Tehran committed “multiple violations” of the deal, despite the IAEA’s confirmation of Iran’s compliance.He once again claimed that Tehran committed “multiple violations” of the deal, despite the IAEA’s confirmation of Iran’s compliance.
The US also imposed a fresh set of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, unrelated to its nuclear program.The US also imposed a fresh set of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, unrelated to its nuclear program.
Even before the US president’s decision, some world powers have warned against the consequences of a US decision to withdraw from the agreement.Even before the US president’s decision, some world powers have warned against the consequences of a US decision to withdraw from the agreement.
“A termination of the Iran agreement would turn the Middle East into a region of hot crises,” and would “send a devastating signal for nuclear disarmament,” German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel was cited by Die Welt on Thursday.“A termination of the Iran agreement would turn the Middle East into a region of hot crises,” and would “send a devastating signal for nuclear disarmament,” German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel was cited by Die Welt on Thursday.
“Some states could understand a failure of the Iran agreement as a signal to provide themselves with nuclear weapons as fast as possible,” he added, apparently referring to North Korea.“Some states could understand a failure of the Iran agreement as a signal to provide themselves with nuclear weapons as fast as possible,” he added, apparently referring to North Korea.
EU leaders “also have to tell the Americans that their behavior on the Iran issue will drive us Europeans into a common position with Russia and China against the USA,” the German foreign minister warned.
On Friday, Beijing called on the US to maintain its commitment to the nuclear deal with Iran: “We believe this deal is important to ensuring the international nuclear nonproliferation regime and regional peace and stability. We hope all parties can continue to preserve and implement this deal,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.On Friday, Beijing called on the US to maintain its commitment to the nuclear deal with Iran: “We believe this deal is important to ensuring the international nuclear nonproliferation regime and regional peace and stability. We hope all parties can continue to preserve and implement this deal,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that it was hard to imagine how withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran could be legally implemented by the US. The deal was also approved by a UN resolution, he added.
Last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that certification is not part of the deal and is only “US internal procedure.”
“It doesn’t absolve President Trump and the administration of the responsibility because the only authority that has been recognized in the nuclear deal to verify [compliance with the deal] is the IAEA,” Zarif said.