US no longer party to JCPOA: EU on Washington’s anti-Iran bid

…from PressTV, Tehran

[ Editor’s Note: The EU’s Josep Borrel has cut Trump and Pompeo off at the knees, a way of saying no thanks to the US sanctions against the EU doing any business with Iran. It wishes now that it had a lot of Iran trade among all the current economic uncertainties.

Borrel tells Trump that his pulling out of the JCPOA is a done deal, but he can try the UN Security Council if he wants, but where Russia and China would of course veto any US unilateral move banning arms sales to Iran. Everyone is tired of the US veto.



With the coronavirus recession cloud about to descend over the world, countries will want all the export sales they can possibly get, and if Iran has the money to buy, there will be happy sellers waiting in the wings.

I suspect that first on Iran’s shopping list would be an S-500 defensive missile system, expensive, but something that would bolster Iran’s defenses in a public way if Iran would be able to afford it versus what it could produce with that big chunk of cash.

It might be a moot discussion, with Iran looking to take a big oil revenue hit in both price and volume in the upcoming coronavirus recession. Where would the money come from, as national budgets everywhere will have to be cutting backJim W. Dean ]

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Unfortunately for Trump, these people who spent five years making the JCPOA deal are not happy with what Trump did.

  First published … April 30, 2020

The European Union foreign policy chief says the US is no longer a party to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major world powers, pointing to the limitations that Washington is facing in its avowed bid to extend an arms embargo under the deal against Tehran that is going to expire in October.

“It’s clear that in the statement by [US] President [Donald] Trump and the US presidential memorandum of last May, they announced that he was ending his participation in JCPOA,” Josep Borrell told the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty media outlet on Thursday.

He was referring by acronym to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the landmark agreement that came about in Vienna in July 2015, lifting nuclear-related sanctions against Iran.

The US, though, left the deal in May 2018 and returned the sanctions, although, all of the deal’s other parties in addition to the EU and the United Nations have constantly called it a pillar of regional and international peace and security.

Washington also returned the sanctions in another illegal and unilateral move targeting the JCPOA that has been endorsed by the UN Security Council in the form of a resolution.

Under the resolution, a ban imposed on sales of conventional weapons to Iran will expire this October. Washington, though, has not only defied all calls on it to return to the deal and lift the sanctions, but also vowed to do all in its power to prevent removal of the arms ban.

Borrel, in another part of his remarks, reminded, “And I also want to recall that the US has not participated in any meetings of activities within the framework of this [nuclear] agreement since then. So it’s quite clear for us that the US are no longer a participating member in this agreement.”

The EU official, however, did not rule out the prospect of the US going to the Security Council to ask for an embargo against the Islamic Republic, adding, “Let’s see what the Security Council decides then.”

European officials told CNN on Wednesday that Britain, France, and Germany — the three European parties to the JCPOA who are all Washington’s allies — would not back its call for renewing the weapons ban.

China and Russia, which have invariably joined the chorus of criticism against the US’ departure from the JCPOA and renewal of its nuclear-related sanctions, are also highly expected to oppose Washington’s bid.

IMF loan

The EU official also said he did not oppose the prospect of the International Monetary Fund’s lending money to Iran to help the country battle the new coronavirus outbreak.

Regarding the European Union’s approach towards Iran during the coronavirus crisis and the call for sanctions relief and offering a significant sum in humanitarian aid to Iran, the EU Foreign Policy Chief said he personally advocates giving aid to Iran and supports Iran’s application to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $5 billion loan to combat coronavirus.

“As for the terms of any possible loan, this is the matter for the IMF in line with established procedures to ensure the effective use of such support. It is not the first time that the IMF gives financial assistance with conditionality and they have their ways and means to ensure effective use of the support they have granted,” Borrell added.

The Islamic Republic that has lost more than 6,000 people to the infection so far has put out a request for a $5 billion loan, but Washington has — in line with its changeless anti-Tehran policy and maximum pressure campaign — opposed dispensation of the sum by the world body.

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5 COMMENTS

  1. It is very unlikely that Iran would order the S-500 system as it would not want to wait until probably at least 2023 for delivery. The system is still in prototype and the Russians themselves are not expecting production systems until 2022/3. Unlike some, they tend to fully test new products in low volume before pressing the go button.

    Much more likely is a request for S-400 systems but they are on long lead times. More realistic would be increased numbers of S-300PMU (a system still in RuAF service) as they come out of RuAF service. Also a system the Iraqis should be after. Excellent performance, low cost so more Tels, quicker availablability and perhaps as important, it wouldn’t be a PR red rag to the US.

    • Iran has it’s own SAM system claimed to be as capable as S-400, but I don’t know if they have the capability to build them in significant numbers.

    • It may be useful to Iran, ’cause they have deep echelon AD systems and there is a good opportunity to integrate S-xxx to be a part of it. There is no sense at all to buy S-xxx to put it bare amidst the desert. The second question is military trained team. I think Iranians are much better students. Not like Saudies who run away like hares out of brand new Abrams tanks and not like Syrian “specialists” who can’t hit Israel’s rockets and just lose Pantsirs complex. The same will be with S-xxx. Why just a single (a single, Karl!) Russian officer can manage operating such systems, detecting, selecting and firing the targets and those mob of guys are not able to do a team work… I don’t know.
      Well, it is lyrics.
      Iran is not a NATO member and i’m sure, they need S-xxx.

  2. Surely to God Iran wouldn’t borrow money from those that push Israel’s ideal
    [the greater israel] all over her country???
    Instead of IMF, Iran would borrow from China/Russia SURELY !!!
    I think everyone would agree, Rothschild’s IMF’s purpose is to lend money to ‘developing nations’
    In order to rape that country and remove that country’s grip on the ‘oil/gas/gold etc..
    I cant see Iran falling into the IMF’s trap

  3. It’s the last straw that breaks the camel’s back. Perhaps the gung-ho piracy of PPE destined to EU countries and/or increased sanctions, targeting medical supplies on Iran and Venezuela, has finally awakened the EU to the disastrous policy of unquestionably following insane US policy. Iran is not changing tact, the Iranians are happy and confident with their government as amply demonstrated during the public mourning for General Soleimani and his companions. It’s a young modern population, a large potential trading partner close to home and a cursory glance across the Atlantic at the collapsing, debt-ridden and self consuming America should allay any doubts. The unconditional compliance with America sanctions has cost the EU greatly, both financially and politically. Russia and China and Iran are neighbours and represent the future….the EU, a trading bloc of almost 600 million, should be at the forefront of trade and industry with these countries but it needs to be self-assertive now…..before it’s too late !

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