France urges region to defy U.S. sanctions
PARIS — France’s finance minister says European countries should push back harder against the Trump administration over the Iran nuclear deal and not act as “vassals” to the U.S.
But German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran accord isn’t a reason to dump decades of trans-Atlantic ties altogether.
The back and forth Friday came as thousands of Iranians took to the streets in cities across the country to protest President Trump’s decision this week to re-impose sanctions, arguing the 2015 nuclear deal that lifted sanctions wasn’t tough enough on Iran. The Iranian government said it will take “whatever reciprocal measures it deems expedient” if it is not fully compensated for the U.S. withdrawal as provided for in the accord.
A lengthy Iran government statement issued Friday said the other parties to the agreement — especially Britain, France and Germany — must safeguard the accord, implement their commitments, and “proceed from giving pledges to taking practical action without any preconditions.”
Indeed, European governments are scrambling for ways to save billions of dollars in trade that could collapse because of Trump’s decision.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Europe-1 radio that Europe should not accept that the U.S. is the “world’s economic policeman.” “Do we want to be vassals who obey decisions taken by the United States while clinging to the hem of their trousers?” Le Maire asked. “Or do we want to say we have our economic interests, we consider we will continue to do trade with Iran?”
Merkel took a more measured tone.
“This is a serious event, we have to say that, but it is not a reason to call into question the entire trans-Atlantic partnership,” she said Friday in the western German city of Muenster.
She acknowledged that it is uncertain “to what extent we can keep this (nuclear) agreement alive if a giant economic power doesn’t join in.”
The top diplomats of Iran, France, Britain and Germany are expected to meet early next week to discuss their next steps.
As a result of the new U.S. sanctions, companies worldwide must stop doing business with Iran or risk U.S. fines or other punishment. The sanctions will not only bar U.S. companies from doing business with Iran, but they also will hurt foreign companies by prohibiting them from using American banks unless they cut links with Iran.