Iran, Europe about to reach oil deal, Zarif says

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday evening that Tehran was closing in on an agreement to sell oil to European nations despite American threats of sanctions against any countries that do business with Iran.

Mogherini: Iran should benefit from ‘legitimate’ economic relations 

The European Union foreign policy chief has stressed that Iran should benefit from its “legitimate” economic relations with the world. 

By Javad Heirannia

EU want to continue economic cooperation with Iran: Bunn

TEHRAN - Matthew Bunn, a specialist in nuclear security at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, believes that “Trump administration's wrong-headed decision to reimpose U.S. sanctions is likely to have a big impact on many companies' decisions on investment and trade with Iran.”

EU, China, Russia defy Trump with plan to keep trading with Iran

The European Union, China and Russia backed a mechanism to allow “legitimate” business to continue with Iran, a plan aimed at sidestepping American sanctions and allowing international trade to continue unimpeded as President Donald Trump pursues his "America First" agenda.

European powers back Iran deal ahead of UN summit

TEHRAN – A number of European leaders have expressed support for the 2015 nuclear deal ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.

By Merhnoosh Aryanpour 

EU Blocking Regulations: a recap and revisit

After 8 May, 2018, it became immediately clear that the Blocking Statute would be Europe's key strategic tool for attempting to counter the adverse consequences of the American withdraw from the JCPOA and America's reimposition of the sanctions previously lifted under the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers.

By Hanif Ghaffari

Europe’s support of Iran’s JCPOA: Actions speak louder than words

TEHRAN - Iran is calling for keeping the European countries in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action formally known as JCPOA, including Germany, to save it, without the participation of the United States. But the Germans are reluctant to continue to cooperate with Iran due to U.S. secondary sanctions.

'Gradualism' not proper approach to save nuclear deal, Salehi tells EU

TEHRAN - Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Monday that “approach of gradualism” adopted by the European Union’s is not a proper way to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

By Mahmood Khaghani

EU, Iran clearing the way for business and trade

The news that Germany, France & UK are actively considering a “Clearing House” to facilitate Iran's global commerce is probably the most important development in financial & energy markets for many years.

EU seeks to bypass U.S. sanctions on Iran with trade finance tool

EU powers are in talks over launching a payments channel that would enable European companies to trade with Iran as part of efforts to defy U.S. sanctions and keep alive a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran.

Iranian diplomat consults with Europeans on Syria

TEHRAN - Hossein Jaberi Ansari, a senior assistant to the Iranian foreign minister, has visited Switzerland, Belgium and France to hold consultations on the Syrian crisis.

Solana: EU will have to bend to U.S. sanctions against Iran

TEHRAN – Europe will have no choice but to comply with U.S. sanctions on Iran, according to Javier Solana, a former NATO secretary general and early advocate of the nuclear deal abandoned by President Donald Trump.

Russia, Iran, EU, China work to counter U.S.: Ryabkov

Russia, Iran, Europe and China will intensify work in coming days to counter unilateral U.S. sanctions and Washington’s efforts to undermine a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, Russia’s deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday.

‘Europe to create banking system for ties with Iran’ 

TEHRAN – Chair of the European parliamentary group for relations with the Islamic Republic has said the European Union is looking to establish an independent financial system for banking relations with Iran.

By Javad Heirannia

EU help to Iran is not serious: Hunter

TEHRAN - Shireen Tahmaasb Hunter, a professor of political science at Georgetown University, tells the Tehran Times that that “Europe wants to keep Iran committed to JCPOA, and thus makes some vague promises, but it is not willing to give Iran serious help.”

By Mohammad Ghaderi & Payman Yazdani

UK minister: We seek no covert operation in Iran, plan to build ties

TEHRAN - UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, in an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, reaffirms his country’s support to the 2015 nuclear deal following the U.S. unilateral withdrawal from the agreement, saying the UK, along with the European Union, are doing all they can to provide the mechanism by which they can continue trade transactions with Iran.

By Javad Heirannia

EU not wait for Trump to start building its common security: Former diplomat

TEHRAN - Marc Finaud, France Former spokesman of Foreign Ministry says that “EU did not wait for Trump to start building its common security and defence policy, including by including in the Lisbon Treaty an assistance clause even stronger than the one in the NATO Treaty.”

Tehran says E3 guarantees fall short of saving JCPOA

TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic says that the European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have not offered guarantees strong enough to save the deal after the U.S. unilaterally walked out.

All should pay the price to save nuclear deal: Zarif

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday that in order to save the 2015 nuclear accord and benefit from it, other countries, especially the Europeans, should be willing to “pay the price”, IRIB news reported.

EU working with partners to secure Iran’s interests: Mogherini

TEHRAN – EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Friday that the EU member states and their partners in the world will continue cooperation to make sure that Iranians and Iranian citizens can benefit from the nuclear agreement.

By Javad Heirannia

Without U.S., JCPOA doesn't have technological benefit for Iran: Heinonen

TEHRAN - Olli Heinonen, the former deputy director general for safeguards at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), tells the Tehran Times that civil nuclear cooperation is an important element of the JCPOA.

EU sending ‘wrong message’ with Iran aid package: U.S. envoy

TEHRAN – The top U.S. envoy on Iran has criticized a European Union decision to give $20.7 million in aid to Tehran on Friday, saying it sent “the wrong message at the wrong time,” Reuters reported.

Iran awaiting European guarantees on oil sales, banking: Zarif

TEHRAN - Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said “We are still waiting for Europe to take action on the sale of Iranian oil and the preservation of banking channels,” according to ISNA.

UN invites Iran, Russia, Turkey to talks on Syria

TEHRAN – UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura has invited Iran, Russia and Turkey to negotiations on Syria’s Constitutional Committee, a UN spokeswoman said on Friday. 

‘EU’s 18 million euro aid not related to package to save nuclear deal’

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Thursday that the European Union’s 18 million euro aid for Iran has nothing to do with a package supposed to be offered to save the 2015 nuclear deal.

By Mohammad Ghaderi

Never humiliate an Iranian!

Over the past days we heard news about the European Union’s 18million euro aid to Iran (the JCPOA). The EU in an announcement said this was part of a greater package of 50 million euros. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini explained: “This new package will widen economic and sectoral relations in areas that are of direct benefit to our citizens.”

By Javad Heirannia

EU blocking statute can't protect Iran against U.S. sanctions: Fitzpatrick

TEHRAN - Mark Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of International Institute for Strategic Studies says that the EU blocking statute cannot by itself protect Iran against the impact of U.S. sanctions because any firms that do business with the United States will still need to decide for themselves if it is worth risking this business for the sake of trade with Iran.

By Javad Heirannia

EU cannot force European companies to do business with Iran: ex-White House official

TEHRAN – Professor Frank N. von Hippel, former assistant director for national security in the White House Office of Science and Technology says that “European companies would be protected with regard to their specific agreements with Iran but the EU cannot protect them from being excluded from the U.S. market if they trade with Iran.”

Araqchi: EU’s will to save JCPOA ‘still strong’

TEHRAN – Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday that Europe’s political commitment to save the 2015 nuclear agreement “remains strong”.

EU believes Iran deal is working: Mogherini aide

TEHRAN – The EU has never wavered in its support for the JCPOA as it wholeheartedly believes that the nuclear deal is a “good agreement that is working”, says Nathalie Tocci, an aide to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.