JCPOA Rescue Meeting in Vienna, Diplomatic Effort in the ‘Last Minute’
A meeting of senior officials from the remaining signatories to the nuclear agreement is being held in Vienna. The goal of this session has been announced as convincing Iran to remain committed to the obligations and commitments stipulated in the JCPOA.
With the United States’ withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran and the intensification and renewal of sanctions against the country, the fate of the nuclear agreement has been put at risk. The United States, pursuing a policy of maximum sanctions, aims to prevent Iran’s oil exports. The Islamic Republic of Iran, in response to these measures, has announced that it will reconsider the implementation of some of the commitments stipulated in the nuclear agreement.
The German news agency (dpa) on Friday, June 28, reported from Vienna on the meeting of senior officials from the remaining signatories to the nuclear agreement.
The holding of this meeting aims to convince Iran to remain in the nuclear agreement. On the anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, the Islamic Republic of Iran set a 60-day deadline for the relevant countries in this agreement. A deadline that will end in a few days.
Iran has announced that if European countries cannot provide conditions for Iran to benefit economically from the nuclear agreement, it will also suspend the limitations set on the level of uranium enrichment. A move that would mean the failure of the JCPOA.
Escalation of Tensions
The German news agency has referred to recent developments in the Persian Gulf in its report. The downing of an American drone by Iran and the United States’ decision to launch an air strike against the country, which was stopped by Trump in the final moments, had added to the scope of tensions between the two countries.
The German news agency described the meeting of senior officials from the remaining signatories to the nuclear agreement as a diplomatic effort to save the JCPOA.
One of Iran’s senior officials told reporters that “there is always a chance for a diplomatic solution in the last minute.”
This is while Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, told reporters on Thursday, June 27, on the eve of holding a special meeting of senior officials from the remaining signatories to the JCPOA, that the three countries Britain, Germany, and France should present their plans to counter Iran’s sanctions imposed by the United States.
Araghchi had said: “Otherwise, we will certainly reduce our commitments regarding the nuclear agreement.”
The German news agency further reported that European countries are expected to launch the financial mechanism “INSTEX” on Friday, June 28.
This financial mechanism provides the possibility of foreign trade between Iran and Europe. This is while there are doubts about the success of this financial mechanism. European companies operating in the United States are concerned that any participation in financial transactions with Iran will result in these companies also being subject to sanctions imposed by the United States.
Source: DW
