By Salman Parviz

INSTEX: EU assumes Iranians walking on banana leafs

TEHRAN - After months of delay and despite the 2015 commitments of European leaders towards the Iran nuclear deal, the so-called E-3 (Germany, France and the UK) registered the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX). However, this special purpose vehicle (SPV) has no engine or driver and doesn’t conform with the trade and investment promises made in return for dramatic reduction in Iran’s nuclear program.

By Javad Heirannia

SPV is not a magic solution: Ali Vaez

TEHRAN - Ali Vaez, director of the Iran program for International Crisis Group says that SPV is not a magic solution, and it may take a few months before its success can be truly assessed.

By Mohammad Ghaderi

There remains ambiguity about the SPV even though it exists

TEHRAN - Finally, after months of delay, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany announced in a joint statement that they have set up a financing mechanism to skirt American sanctions and keep the 2015 Iran nuclear deal alive.

BY Haniyeh Sadat Jafariyeh

SPV: A European mechanism to struggle U.S., gain economic autonomy

In their joint statement on that last day of January, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt introduced the SPV (a special purpose vehicle) also called INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges), the financial mechanism which enables Iran to keep doing business with the rest of the world despite the draconian financial sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.

Iran seeks speedy implementation of commitments as EU sets up payment channel with Iran

TEHRAN – The Foreign Ministry issued a statement of Thursday saying Tehran welcomes the European Union’s payments mechanisms to skirt the U.S. sanctions against Iran, yet it sought an immediate implementation of the payment channel.

By Javad Heirannia

There is no relation between delays in SPV with Iran’ missile program: Nephew

TEHRAN – Richard Nephew, who served as the lead sanctions expert for the U.S. team negotiating with Iran, is of the opinion that I think the main cause of the delay in SPV (special purpose vehicle) has been to create a structure that avoids to the extent possible the risk of U.S. sanctions while at the same time providing Iran with something meaningful.  

By Javad Heirannia

Warsaw Conference will not have any practical impact on Iran: Fitzpatrick

TEHRAN - Mark Fitzpatrick, Associate Fellow of International Institute for Strategic Studies says that the name of the Warsaw's Conference had to be changed when it was clear that few EU states would participate in an event that was clearly identified as Iran bashing.

By staff and agency

Europe starts registering company to trade with Iran

France, Britain and Germany are this week executing their plans to set up a special-payments company to secure some trade with Iran and blunt the impact of U.S. sanctions.

Germany says EU soon to launch Iran funding scheme

The European Union is on the verge of launching an alternative channel to send money to Iran that would sidestep U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic, Germany’s foreign minister said Monday.

Tehran: U.S. after dividing Iran and Europe through Warsaw summit

TEHRAN – The Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the U.S. aims to create division between Iran and some European countries by holding an anti-Iran summit in Warsaw, Poland, next month.

By Mehdi Sepahvand

Salehi: EU better launch SPV before it is too late

Iran’s nuclear chief says the European Union (EU) had better launch a promised payment mechanism meant to maintain trade with Iran and bypass unilateral sanctions by the United States “before it is too late.”

By staff and agency

EU says SPV to be launched ‘very soon’

The European Commission said it’s seeking to launch “very soon” a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to help European companies bypass U.S. sanctions on Iran.

By Payman Yazdani

SPV does not have requisite mechanism to overcome U.S. opposition: Entessar 

TEHRAN - Nader Entessar, professor emeritus of political science from university of South Alabama still insists that the SPV is a hollow shell and does not have the requisite mechanism to overcome U.S. opposition.

Jannati advises officials not to trust Europe

TEHRAN – Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, chief of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, says the Europeans are worse than the Americans in trying to deprive Iran of the benefits of the 2015 nuclear deal, aka the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), advising officials not to fall for them.

No date set for establishing SPV: Qassemi

TEHRAN – The Europeans so far have not announced a date for establishing the special purpose vehicle (SPV), Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Tuesday, Mehr reported.

MP: ‘We must not go easy on Poland’

TEHRAN – Chairman of the Majlis Nuclear Committee Mojtaba Zonnour has called on the Foreign Ministry to take a firm stance against Poland’s decision to host an anti-Iran summit.

Iran says still honoring nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Tehran says its move to design a modern process for 20-percent uranium enrichment does not run against its compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the JCPOA in its English abbreviation and BARJAM in Persian.

Parliament to ask Zarif questions if SPV is not implemented: MP

TEHRAN - Mohammadreza Pourebrahimi, the head of the economic committee of the Iranian parliament, has said that the parliament will ask Zarif questions if the special purpose vehicle (SPV) is not implemented in future weeks.

By M.A. Saki

EU credibility at serious stake

TEHRAN - It has repeatedly been said that the European Union is adamant in its determination to safeguard the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

By Javad Heirannia

Not all EU members favor SPV: Shireen Hunter

TEHRAN - Shireen Tahmaasb Hunter, a professor of political science at Georgetown University, tells the Tehran Times that “It was clear from the beginning that establishing a special and separate channel for commercial dealings between Iran and Europe would not be easy.”

Berlin pursuing SPV final requirements: Germany

TEHRAN – Germany is pursuing the final requirements for implementation of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for trade with Iran, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said.

Zarif: Traditional partners prioritized amid EU procrastination

TEHRAN – Tehran would not wait for the Europeans and their special payment system and will work with its traditional partners, like India, China and Russia, in order to fulfill the interests of Iranians, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said as he visited India late Monday.

By Javad Heirannia

I do not think SPV covering wide areas of trade: Nephew

TEHRAN – Richard Nephew, who served as the lead sanctions expert for the U.S. team negotiating with Iran, is of the opinion that “I do think that there will be something called the SPV eventually created that facilitates trade between Europe and Iran, but I do not think it will be the same sort of SPV that was announced in September, covering wide areas of trade.”

‘Practical action not expedient as Europeans have not formulated SPV yet’

TEHRAN - Abdolreza Farajirad, director general of Strategic Council for Foreign Relations, has said it is not expedient that Iran resort to “practical action” as the Europeans have not yet formulated the special purpose vehicle (SPV) to save the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Iran not counting on ‘economic’ aspect of SPV: MP

TEHRAN – A senior lawmaker said on Wednesday that Iran is not counting on the “economic” aspect of the special purpose vehicle (SPV), the European Union’s initiative intended to protect trade with Iran in defiance of U.S. sanctions, Mehr reported.

Zarif: U.S. should drag the world into chaos if it tries to prevent Iran’s oil export

TEHRAN – Iran’s foreign minister says the U.S. would have to resort to policies that would drag the world into a chaotic state if it tried to actually shut down Iran’s oil exports.

Iran won’t keep silent about JCPOA violations: Kharrazi

TEHRAN – Kamal Kharrazi, head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, says Iran would not remain silent if the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear deal fail to fulfill their commitments.

Europeans have new offer about SPV: MP

TEHRAN - Morteza Saffari Natanzi, a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has said that the Europeans have offered that a judicial body in one of the European countries should host the special purpose vehicle (SPV).

Iran doesn’t sit silent toward destabilizing actions: Kharrazi

TEHRAN - Kamal Kharrazi, head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, said on Monday that Iran does not sit silent towards destabilizing actions in the Middle East region.

French police’s handling of protests ‘unacceptable’: Tehran

TEHRAN – Tehran on Monday criticized the French police for its handling of the recent protests as “unacceptable”, urging the French government to practice self-control in the face of the unrest.