Iran, Europe to continue nuclear cooperation

TEHRAN - Behrooz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), has said that Iran and Europe will continue their nuclear cooperation in the next two years.

Larijani urges Europeans to act more independently

TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Monday that Europeans should play a more independent role which will be more beneficial to them.

Zarif urges Europe to intensify efforts to salvage nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called on European countries to accelerate their efforts to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, after the U.S. withdrew from the multilateral deal and ordered sanctions against Iran.

By Javad Heirannia

Reimposing sanctions on Iran is not in U.S. national interests: ex-senior CIA official

TEHRAN – Professor Paul Pillar, who was CIA intelligence analyst for 28 years, tells the Tehran Times that obviously with the U.S. administration reneging on the JCPOA, Iran is not getting much of the economic benefit it expected when it negotiated the agreement.  

By Javad Heirannia

Trump’s decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran only isolates Washington: Davenport

TEHRAN - Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association says that “Trump’s decision to violate the nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions only isolates Washington, undermines U.S. credibility, and risks damaging the utility of sanctions down the road.”

Europeans slow to save nuclear deal: Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has said that Europeans have been slower than Iran expected to save the 2015 nuclear deal after the U.S. exited the multilateral agreement and ordered reimposition of sanctions on Iran.

Iran: Sanctions will fail to bear fruit

TEHRAN – U.S. sanctions against Iran are facing with global defiance and Washington will fail to achieve its desired plans by returning sanctions, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Monday.

By Javad Heirannia

New sanctions on Iran will not fulfill U.S. national interest: Nephew

TEHRAN – Richard Nephew, who served as the lead sanctions expert for the U.S. team negotiating with Iran, is of the opinion that U.S. new sanctions on Iran will not fulfill U.S. national interest in long term

EU to launch payment mechanism with Iran: envoy

TEHRAN – The European Union will launch a payment mechanism for economic cooperation with Iran in the “near future,” EU Ambassador to Moscow Markus Ederer has said.

U.S. ‘Plan B’ includes creating schism in EU over Iran: ex-diplomat

TEHRAN – A former Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the intention behind the U.S. “Plan B” is to incite a schism between European countries over Iran. 

U.S. envoy pushes for EU co-op on Iran sanctions

TEHRAN – U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell says he hopes “our European partners will join us in denying funds to … [Iran], and force them to come back to the table.”

EU office opening OK under current circumstances: MP

TEHRAN – Chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has said the European Union’s request for opening an office in Tehran could be granted under the current circumstances provided that they provide practical economic support for Iran in the face of U.S. sanctions.

Iran-EU talks on nuclear pact progressing: Vaezi

TEHRAN – Presidential chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi says talks about the European Union’s package of economic measures to secure Iran’s benefits from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are progressing well.

Iran not ready to pay for world’s expediency unaided: Qassemi 

TEHRAN - In an interview with ISNA, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi has said that Iran has complied with the JCPOA to date, but the country requires the cooperation of other signatories to the deal in the face of the U.S.’s unjust obstruction of the agreements. 

‘Mechanism to save Iran-EU financial ties underway’

TEHRAN – A spokesperson with the European Union (EU) says a special financial mechanism aimed to save Iran-EU financial transactions is in the process of implementation.

By Mohammad Ghaderi - Twitter: @ghaderi62 - Email: m.ghaderi62@gmail.com

The EU's purposeful delay in implementing the SPV

TEHRAN - Reuters has recently reported that a new European Union mechanism to facilitate payments for Iranian exports should be legally in place by Nov. 4, when the next phase of U.S. sanctions hit, but will not be operational until early next year, three diplomats said.

By staff and agency

EU mechanism for Iran trade to be symbolically ready on Nov. 4: diplomats

A new European Union mechanism to facilitate payments for Iranian exports should be legally in place by Nov. 4, when the next phase of U.S. sanctions hit, but it will not be operational until early next year, three diplomats said.

By Mohammad Ghaderi - Twitter: @ghaderi62 - Email: m.ghaderi62@gmail.com

Britain's Tricks over Brexit

TEHRAN - The Brexit has long been a complicated puzzle in the political and economic equations of Europe and London. The talks between London and Brussels over British exit from the European Union have been halted. On the other hand, we are witnessing widespread protests against the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union (protests raised in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Zarif believes Europeans have done well to keep nuclear deal: MP

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif believes that Europeans have done well in resisting the U.S. and preserving the 2015 nuclear deal, spokesman for the Parliament presiding board told reporters on Tuesday.

‘MKO presence in France has created negative mentality in Iran’

Larijani says ‘practical actions’ needed to save nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Tuesday that the European Union has been backing the nuclear deal politically but what is of utmost importance is “practical actions” by the bloc to keep the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Asia-Europe leaders support JCPOA, decry return of sanctions 

TEHRAN – Late on Friday, the political leaders attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) reaffirmed their "collective support" for a multilateral nuclear agreement Iran signed with major world powers in 2015, saying the lifting of sanctions against Tehran is an essential part of the deal.

MP: Opening of EU office in Tehran dependent on nuclear package

TEHRAN – Chairman of the Iranian Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has said the opening of a European Union office in Tehran is dependent on the European countries’ economic package and its practical effect on protecting Iran’s benefits from the 2015 nuclear pact, which the U.S. ditched on May 8.

Iran says studying opening of EU office in Tehran

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi has said Iran is considering the opening of a European Union office in Tehran and that both sides are weighing the conditions and possibilities on the matter.

U.S. can’t challenge Iran without allies: Bloomberg

The Trump administration seems determined to cut Iran off from the global financial system. As it reimposes sanctions on the country next month, it may take aim at the SWIFT messaging network that enables cross-border payments worldwide. This is a bad idea.

Analyst calls for opening EU office in Tehran

TEHRAN – Political analyst Fereydoun Majlisi has said opening a European Union office in Tehran can help boost economic relations between Iran and the EU member states. 

Europe steps up drive to exempt Swift from Iran sanctions

European finance ministers will try to persuade the Trump administration not to cut off Iran’s access to Swift, the global financial messaging service, in meetings with Steven Mnuchin, the U.S. Treasury secretary, at the IMF gathering in Bali this week.

MP: EU renews call for opening office in Tehran

TEHRAN – Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh has said European ambassadors to Iran have renewed calls for opening a European Union office in Tehran.

EU says determined to save Iran deal despite U.S. exit

TEHRAN – European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Friday the bloc is determined to keep the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran in place despite U.S. withdrawal. 

Ambassador: Norway working closely with Iran, EU to help preserve JCPOA

The Norwegian Ambassador to Tehran, Lars Nordrum, says Oslo is fully committed to the JCPOA and will support promised financial mechanism by the European Union to continue trade with Iran in the face of US sanctions.