Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 7 June 2018

France, Germany and UK seek exemption from US Iran sanctions

By PAN PYLAS Minister Theresa May on
Associated Press Wednesday. May said
LONDON (AP) — Britain, that Britain, like France
France and Germany have and Germany, believes
joined forces to urge the the nuclear deal "is the
United States to exempt best route to preventing
European companies from Iran from getting a nuclear
any sanctions the U.S. will weapon."
slap on Iran after pulling out "We will remain committed
of an international nuclear to it as long as Iran meets its
agreement. obligations," she said.
In a letter made public The publication of the
Wednesday, ministers letter came a day after
from the three European Iran said it was preparing
countries told U.S. officials for the resumption of
they "strongly regret" uranium enrichment within
President Donald Trump's the limits set by the 2015
decision to withdraw from agreement. The modest
the 2015 Iran deal to which steps appeared mainly
their nations also were aimed at signaling that
signatories. Iran could resume its drive
The agreement was meant toward industrial-scale
to stop Iran from developing enrichment if the nuclear
nuclear weapons in accord unravels.
exchange for the lifting French Foreign Minister
of economic sanctions. Jean-Yves Le Drian
Trump argued that it was sought to downplay the
insufficiently tough and implications of the move
has said sanctions will be and said it did not violate
imposed on any company the terms of the deal.
doing business with Tehran. "It shows a sort of irritation,
The ministers — British and it is always dangerous
Foreign Minister Boris to flirt with the red lines,"
Johnson, French Finance Le Drian said on Europe-1
Minister Bruno Le Maire and radio.
German Finance Minister "We must keep a sense of
Olaf Scholz — said they French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire accompanies Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proportion and stick to the
want the U.S. to "grant after their meeting at Bercy Economy Ministry, in Paris, Wednesday, June 6, 2018. agreement," he said. "And
exemptions" for European Associated Press today, the agreement is not
Union companies that broken and Iran respects
have been doing business Secretary Steven Mnuchin sanctions could be be disastrous." totally its commitments."q
with Iran since the nuclear and Secretary of State Mike damaging, especially The letter was published
deal took effect in 2016. Pompeo dated Monday. if they affect business during a trip to Europe
"As close allies, we expect They also said that Iran interests in the United by Israeli Prime Minister
that the extraterritorial should not be cut out States. Benjamin Netanyahu,
effects of U.S. secondary of the SWIFT system for The ministers reiterated their who has backed Trump in
sanctions will not be international money view that the deal with Iran declaring the nuclear deal
enforced on EU entities and transfers. remains the "best means" too soft on Iran.
individuals, and the United Many companies from to prevent the country Earlier this week, Netanyahu
States will thus respect our Europe and the U.S. have from becoming a nuclear met with French President
political decision and the been steadily building up power. Emmanuel Macron and
good faith of economic their investments in Iran in They also warned that any German Chancellor
operators within EU legal the wake of the nuclear Iranian withdrawal from Angela Merkel, who both
territory," they said in their deal, particularly in the the deal would "further reiterated their support for
letter to In a letter dated fields of pharmaceuticals, unsettle a region where the accord.
Monday to U.S. Treasury banking and oil. Any additional conflicts would He met British Prime