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.

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

EU dying silently as it plays in Trump’s court

The paradoxical approaches taken by the European authorities is definitely one of its kind! Over the past months, Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, has repeatedly emphasized that the EU can no longer rely on the United States to secure its interests.

We will fight for JCPOA, German FM says

TEHRAN – German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that his country along with other European powers will fight for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, to keep it alive, even without the U.S.

By staff and agency

EU says encouraging trade with Iran is crucial to nuclear deal

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the EU is encouraging enterprises to increase their business with Iran, as that country has been compliant with their nuclear-related commitments.

Rouhani to Trump: I have no precondition for talks, except U.S. compensate the past

TEHRAN - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says he has no precondition for talks with the U.S., except that Washington “compensate” the past damage that it has done to Iran.

EU regrets U.S. sanctions on Iran, vows to protect European businesses

The European Union said Monday it deeply regretted the U.S.' reimposition of sanctions on Iran after President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear pact, and vowed immediate steps to protect European companies.

Iranian politician calls for immediate EU action as U.S. sanctions loom

TEHRAN – An Iranian politician has called on the European Union to take an outright measure before imposition of the new U.S. sanctions if it is really willing to make up for the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.

Snobbish GOP letter warns Germany, France, UK against bypassing sanctions on Iran 

U.S. senators from the Republican Party have sent a letter to the embassies of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom in the United States with a warning against any possible moves to circumvent the Trump administration’s sanctions against Iran, the news portal t-online.de reported on Sunday.

Europe underestimating its power, Zarif says 

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that the European Union can do more to bring about peace and stability to the Middle East, and needs to back-up its commitments with actions.

EU has set up $80b fund for SMEs doing business with Iran: report

TEHRAN – Mohammad-Hossein Adeli, the former secretary general of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), has said that the European Union has established an $80 billion fund to give credit to small and medium enterprises doing business with Iran, the Persian language Hamshahri newspaper reported on Wednesday.

EU, China reaffirm commitment to Iran deal

TEHRAN – The European Union (EU) and China issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal which was struck back in 2015, according to the EU website.

By Hanif Ghaffari

Decoding of EU's Approach towards JCPOA

The joint commission of the JCPOA had recently held a meeting at ministerial level with the presence of Iran and the five remaining members of the nuclear deal.