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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 16 May 2018

Europe, Iran say push to save nuclear deal off to good start

By RAF CASERT and LORNE ropean nations and Iran
COOK would meet in Vienna next
Associated Press week.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Major Eu- “We reaffirmed together
ropean powers and Teh- our resolve to continue
ran committed Tuesday to to implement the nuclear
keep working together to deal in all its parts, in good
save the Iran nuclear deal faith, and in a constructive
despite U.S. President Don- atmosphere,” she said.
ald Trump’s determination Said Iran’s Zarif: “We are
to kill it off. on the right track. A lot de-
European Union foreign pends on what we can do
policy chief Federica within the next few weeks.”
Mogherini and the foreign The steps forward under-
ministers of Britain, France scored the EU’s hopes that
and Germany said after diplomacy and the prom-
talks with Iranian Foreign ise of economic benefits
Minister Mohammad Ja- might keep Iran in the fold
vad Zarif that salvage ef- of a nuclear deal that Eu-
forts focused on economic, rope sees as essential to se-
business and banking issues curity.
could produce “practical “It won’t be easy, that’s
solutions in the next few clear to all of us. But if we
weeks” want to stay in this agree- European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, right, meets with Iranian Foreign Minister
“There was awareness of ment and ensure that Iran Javad Zarif prior to a meeting of the E-3 and Iran at the Europa building in Brussels on Tuesday,
the urgency,” Mogherini stays in this agreement and May 15, 2018.
said after the meeting in abides to the terms of the Associated Press
Brussels. agreement, then we need ments,” she said. But, she commission is expected to and may be unwilling to
“If I can use the metaphor to talk about this,” German added, “with the nuclear unveil them to EU leaders compromise that market
that some raised around Foreign Minister Heiko Maas deal in place we have bet- at a summit in Sofia, Bulgar- access.
the table, we all have a rel- said. ter chances to address any ia, on Wednesday. The EU’s energy commis-
ative in intensive care and At the same time, the Euro- other issues we have to ad- Among them is the pos- sioner is also traveling this
we all want to get him or pean diplomats wanted to dress with Iran.” sible use of an EU “blocking week to Iran to discuss
her out of intensive care as show they weren’t gullible Trump’s withdrawal from regulation” which would, strengthening European
soon as possible,” she said. and wouldn’t drop other the deal has imperiled not in essence, ban European energy support to Iran.q
Germany, France and Brit- divisive issues with Tehran, only the accord, but the companies from respect-
ain all are signatories of including its role in the Syria threat of sanctions could ing American sanctions
the 2015 deal, which was conflict. trickle down to European when the sanctions might
meant to stop Iran from de- “I want to stress we are un- companies doing business damage EU interests, no-
veloping nuclear weapons der no illusion about the with Iran. tably trade and the move-
in exchange for the lifting stuff Iran gets up to in the “We have to accept, be ment of capital.
of economic sanctions. The region, in the Middle East. realistic about the elec- The regulation, which has
U.S. pulled out of the pact We have no illusions about trified rail, the live wire of been brandished as a
last week and promised to Iran’s disruptive behavior, American extraterritoriality threat in the past but never
impose tough economic but we think we can tackle and how that can serve as used, was drawn up more
sanctions on Iran. those in other ways,” British a deterrent to businesses,” than 20 years ago and
Mogherini said “expert Foreign Minister Boris John- Johnson said. would have to be revised.
talks” on relevant financial son said. The European Commis- It is unclear how well the
and economic issues such Mogherini agreed at the sion has been examining measure could be en-
as banking transactions end of a long day of diplo- measures to counter the forced, given that big mul-
and oil would begin soon matic meetings. introduction of any U.S. tinationals are likely to be
and the deputy foreign “As you know very well, we sanctions that could harm doing more business in the
ministers from the three Eu- have many other disagree- European businesses. The U.S. than they are in Iran