Mogherini:

Preserving, implementing Iran deal absolute must

TEHRAN(defapress) – High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini underlined preserving and implementing Iran nuclear deal saying it is an 'absolute must', according to the European External Action Service (EEAS) website.

News ID: 67454

Date: 13 December 2017 - 11:05

“Preserving and implementing the nuclear deal with Iran is an absolute must. We simply cannot afford more tension in the Middle East and another nuclear proliferation crisis. We cannot afford to undermine the credibility of a multilateral agreement, endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution, and we cannot afford to dismantle a deal that works and delivers on its promises,” Mogherini said at the European Parliament plenary session on the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA).

Stressing on the peaceful nature of the nuclear deal with Iran, Mogherini said “With the nuclear deal with Iran, we have established the strongest monitoring system ever set up. The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported nine times that Iran is implementing all its nuclear-related commitments.”

“It took us twelve years of extremely difficult negotiations, led by the European Union, to achieve these results. Renegotiating the deal or part of it is simply not an option – no one can possibly in good faith believe that this is a credible way to follow,” she added.

Referring to President Trump’s anti-Iran choices, EU top diplomat said “After President Trump’s announcement on a new US strategy towards Iran, we Europeans have made our position very clear. Preserving the deal is our shared security interest, and the best way for the United States to address their security concerns which are also ours, is in close cooperation with us, Europeans.”

On October 13, Trump announced that his administration would not certify Iran's commitment to the deal. The decision came after several reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approving that Iran has been acting fully in accordance with the JCPOA.

She went on to say that the deal with Iran prevented a nuclear escalation in the Middle East. 'It showed that diplomacy is the best way to overcome longstanding problems that sometimes seem impossible to solve. This is something that we have not forgotten.'

Commenting on the second EU-Iran High-level Seminar on “International Nuclear Cooperation: Progress and Prospects” which was held in Isfahan on November 21-22, she said “Our civil nuclear cooperation makes the nuclear deal more solid through increased transparency. The second high-level seminar on civilian nuclear cooperation just took place in Esfahan and concrete cooperation activities are being rolled out.”

The event was the second such seminar held between the EU and Iran on the basis of a joint initiative of cooperation.

“Trade between Iran and Europe increased 94 percent in the first half of 2017, compared to the first half of 2016. Oil exports have reached pre-sanctions level, and billions of outstanding oil debts have been paid back. Foreign Direct Investment is increasing, and the Iranian government reported a growth of 55 percent compared to the previous year,” She said referring to Iran-EU trade exchanges.