Iran vows to sell as much oil as...

Germany, China support JCPOA

Meanwhile, Germany and China reiterated that they are committed to the 2015 nuclear deal.

Speaking alongside visiting China’s Premier Li Keqiang on Monday, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the nuclear accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was well-negotiated. The Chinese premier also warned against the unforeseeable consequences if the deal falls apart.

“We remain committed to the nuclear agreement. We think it was well negotiated,” Merkel said. “There is more that needs to be negotiated with Iran, but we think it is better to stay in the agreement.”

However, Merkel implied that Berlin could do little to protect international companies against punitive US measures, adding that it is up to individual firms to decide if they want to invest in Iran.

Earlier in the day, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hua Chunying, expressed Beijing’s resolve to continue efforts to safeguard the achievements of a 2015 nuclear agreement, putting forward a five-point proposal.

“Facing the complicated and stern situation at present, China clearly put up a five-point proposal emphasizing in particular that international rules should be observed, major countries should show their due integrity and sense of responsibility, unilateral sanctions can only run counter to one’s desire and should be abandoned, and dialogs and consultations should adhere to a constructive approach in discussions about issues of common concerns,” Hua said.

Reuters and Press TV contributed to this story. The US ambassador to Germany has called on Berlin to block an Iranian bid to withdraw large sums of cash from bank accounts in Germany to offset the effect of new US financial sanctions imposed after Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal.

Richard Grenell, a longtime critic of the accord, told the mass-circulation daily Bild that the US government was extremely concerned about Tehran’s plans to transfer hundreds of millions of euros in cash to Iran.

“We encourage the highest levels of the German government to intervene and stop the plan,” Grenell told daily newspaper Bild.

Grenell has adopted a more outspoken role than his predecessor since arriving in Berlin in May, drawing criticism for what some German politicians view as meddling in German politics.

A German Finance Ministry spokeswoman on Monday said German authorities were examining the Iranian request. The ministry had no immediate comment on Grenell’s comments.

Bild first reported on Monday that German authorities were considering a request by Iran to withdraw 300 million euros (US$350 million) from bank accounts held in Germany and to transfer the cash to Iran.