Iran’s Zarif meets EU foreign policy chief as Europe tries to save nuclear deal

BELGIUM - Iran’s talks with European countries to save the nuclear deal are on the right path despite the US withdrawal, its foreign minister said after meeting the European Union’s foreign policy chief yesterday.

Britain, France and Germany were to press Iran later on Tuesday to stay in the nuclear accord which US President Donald Trump abandoned last week and which has left Europe with few ways of keeping the accord’s benefits flowing to Tehran.

At a dinner among the four countries’ foreign ministers and the EU’s top diplomat, the European powers will say that they stick by the terms of the 2015 pact giving Iran sanctions relief in return for an end to its nuclear ambitions. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who met Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday morning, said it was up to the European powers “to preserve a deal we have achieved together. We will all save it together.”

Speaking to reporters after talks with Mogherini, Zarif struck an optimistic note. “Our meeting with Mrs Mogherini was good and constructive ... We are on the right path to move forward ... Whatever decided should preserve and guarantee Iran’ rights ... Our talks (with the E3) will continue in the next two weeks,” he said, referring to Britain, France and Germany. (Reuters)