China, Germany stay in Iran nuclear deal
IN comments likely to frustrate the White House, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany and China would stand by the existing nuclear accord with Iran, even as the United States (U.S.) has withdrawn and expects its European allies to follow suit.
Merkel made the statement during a joint news conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, Reuters has reported.
Her remarks come hours after Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, issued a set of demands to European powers in which he voiced skepticism that they would remain com- mitted to the 2015 deal. He also warned that Iran would restart its nuclear activities if they failed to act swiftly.
“The heads of European countries say different things. For our economy, we cannot rely on JCPOA and the Europeans,” Khamenei said in statements that were published on his official website. He was referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, otherwise known as the Iran nuclear accord. Khamenei said the JCPOA could only continue if the Europeans fulfill six conditions including: Promising not to ask Iran about its ballistic missile program or its regional activities; guaranteeing that Iran’s oil will continue to be sold and compensating for any losses and buying any remainining stock; and having European banks guarantee financial transactions with Iran.
“If the Europeans linger over our demands, Iran has the right to resume its nuclear activities,” Khamenei continued. “When we see that the JCPOA is useless, one way forward is to restart those halted activities.”
Khamenei said Iran had learned its lessons and could no longer “interact with America.” Speaking with Iranian government officials on Wednesday, Khamenei said America had “plotted various political, economic, military and propaganda schemes against the Islamic Republic,” all aimed at overthrowing the regime.
“All their plots have failed.... Just like Tom from the well-known Tom and Jerry cartoon; and they will fail again in the future.”
Khamenei and other Iranian officials have been on the attack since President Trump withdrew from the Iranian nuclear accord on May 9 this year. Trump had long excoriated the deal, claiming it didn’t go far enough in deterring Iran’s ambitions in the Middle East, or doing anything to curb its ballistic missile program.