Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday reaffirmed their support for mutually-beneficial economic cooperation with Iran and stressed importance of preserving the Iran nuclear deal.
The three leader held a phone conversation on Tuesday, during which they voiced support for the 2015 agreement, the Kremlin said in a statement.
“During the discussion of the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program, the importance of preserving this agreement, which is a key factor in maintaining international stability and security, was noted. Russia, France and Germany reaffirmed their commitment to further mutually beneficial cooperation with Iran in trade and economy,” the statement read.
Merkel’s office also confirmed that the trio had “underlined the need to persuade Iran to remain in the nuclear agreement, which they agreed to maintain.”
Last year, US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled his country out of the JCPOA and unleashed the “toughest ever” sanctions against Tehran despite international objections.
Other signatories to the Iran nuclear deal, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, the United Kingdom and the European Union, have slammed Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA stressing that the reinstatement of sanctions threatens not only Iran itself but also countries and companies that stay continue doing business with Tehran.
Having that in mind, these countries agreed that a special mechanism, dubbed the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX), would be created to facilitate trade between companies and Iran amid the sanctions by Washington.
Tehran, however, complains that they have failed to take practical measures to fulfill their end of the bargain despite Iran’s full compliance.
On May 8, the first anniversary of Washington’s exit from the JCPOA, Iran announced its decision to stop exporting excess uranium and heavy water for a 60-day period, during which the remaining signatories would have to honor their promises and ensure that Iran is no more deprived of the economic benefits it was promised under the agreement.
Source: Agencies
