What does Europe’s commitment to the JCPOA mean?
Take the case of Europe for instance. European countries are not America. We were not fighting with them. We did not have a disagreement with them. We even had so-called good relations with some of them, but look at how they have behaved concerning the issue of the JCPOA, their commitments and the like. What is interesting is that they keep saying that they are committed to the JCPOA. What does the commitment of Germany, France and England to the JCPOA mean? One should ask them, “What do you mean when you say that you are committed? What are you doing to preserve it? What commitment do you have to the JCPOA? What commitments have you honored?” They keep saying that they are committed. What does this mean? [May 14, 2019]
The eleven commitments that European countries have failed to honor
As for the current issues that exist between us, the reason the problems remain is their arrogance. As our honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs has said Europe made 11 commitments to Iran in the JCPOA but hasn’t fulfilled any of these 11 commitments. This is what our Minister of Foreign Affairs is saying. Well, Ministers of Foreign Affairs usually take diplomatic matters into consideration. However despite these diplomatic considerations, our Minister of Foreign Affairs is outspokenly saying that Europe has 11 commitments to us, none of which have been fulfilled.
What about us? We honored the commitments that we had made in the JCPOA and even more than that. Now that we have started to decrease our commitments in response to them, they come forward acting as if we owe them, saying, “Why? Why are you decreasing your commitments!” You impudent people had 11 commitments and you did not honor any of them. Why are you asking us to be committed to ours? We have just begun to decrease our commitments, and this process will definitely continue. [July 16, 2019]
An absurd game called INSTEX
In early 1397 – two years ago – the US had withdrawn from the JCPOA and we kept saying that the Europeans should do this and that. They said, “Alright, but you should wait for another three or four months.” After the passage of four months, they said that we should wait five or six more months. They kept postponing the process. In other words, they conditioned the country’s economy to make it dependent. Our investors, our businessmen, our exporters and our economic activists waited impatiently to see whether Europe would do anything or not. This is very detrimental to the economy of the country… The Europeans did not do anything. Their last marvel was an absurd game called INSTEX, which has still not become operational yet. It isn’t being done either up to now. In sum, INSTEX means that Iran should give to these European so-called gentlemen – for example, to the French and the English - the money that other countries owe us for them to buy the products that they deem to be suitable and for them to send these to Iran. This is what INSTEX means. This is a wrong and harmful measure in itself, but they have not even fulfilled this promise either. [July 31, 2020]
What can we expect from them?
The Europeans have been delivering blows to us since the mid-Qajar era. In the wars between Iran and Russia, the English betrayed Iran. They entered the field as mediators, but they stabbed us from behind… The West has always behaved like this toward us. We cannot have any hope for their help. On the recent issue, the issue of the JCPOA, what was the Europeans’ duty? Well, an agreement had been signed between seven countries – six countries on one side and Iran on the other side. One of the parties – the US – left the agreement. What was the duty of the other parties? Their duty was to stand up against the US and to state that they would be committed to the agreement. Their duty was to lift sanctions completely. They should have stood firm, but they did not do so and brought various excuses. Not only did they not stand up against the US, they have also left the agreement for all practical purposes and then keep telling us not to leave the JCPOA. They have even imposed new sanctions on Iran. This is how the Europeans behave. What can we expect from them? [March 21, 2019]
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