EU Rejects Iran's JCPOA Demands, Criticizes US Sanctions

The European Union said it would “reject any ultimatums” imposed by Iran after the country announced May 8 it is suspending some of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, effective immediately (see 1905080058). In a May 9 statement, the EU said it has “great concern” over Iran’s demands and “strongly” urged it to “refrain from any escalatory steps,” but also said it disapproves of U.S.-imposed sanctions on Iran following U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA.

Iran previously called on the “E3, Russia and China” to fulfill their banking and oil commitments to Iran within 60 days, or else it would suspend selling enriched uranium in exchange for natural uranium and making “heavy water reserves” available on the open market. The move was in response to what Iran called the U.S.’s “illegal” withdrawal from the deal in 2018 and the JCPOA members’ unwillingness to address U.S. sanctions.

Although the EU said it is rejecting Iran’s ultimatum, it said it remains “fully committed to the preservation and full implementation of the JCPoA” and said it will “assess” Iran’s compliance with the deal. “We call on countries not party to the JCPoA to refrain from taking any actions that impede the remaining parties’ ability to fully perform their commitments,” it said, calling out the U.S.

The EU also referenced the Instrument for Supporting Trade Exchanges (INSTEX), the special purpose vehicle announced by the United Kingdom, France and Germany in January aimed at allowing European countries to trade with Iran despite U.S. sanctions. “We are determined to continue pursuing efforts to enable the continuation of legitimate trade with Iran, including through the operationalisation of the special purpose vehicle "INSTEX,” the EU said.