Iran Press/Commentary: Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, talking to journalists and correspondents in Vienna on Friday confirmed that INSTEX has been operationalised, yet if no oil was purchased from Iran, or certain credit was allowed for the financial mechanism, it could not fulfil Iran's expectations.
The JCPOA joint commission meeting was held in Vienna, while Iran has given a 60-day window of opportunity to the European signatories to the JCPOA to fulfil their obligations and commitments under the deal.
The 60-day window of opportunity is about to close, and the Vienna meeting was the last chance the E3 countries have to persuade Iran that they are making progress in relation to honouring their commitments, and that they have taken practical steps in this regard.
According to JCPOA, Iran's trade with the international community and export of oil must run smoothly, and Iran must not be pressured in this regard, but the US withdrawal from the landmark nuclear deal has created problems.
Europe failure to guarantee Iran's economic interests under the JCPOA
The European parties to the deal have been unable to ensure or guarantee Iran's economic interests under the JCPOA, and therefore Tehran set a two-month deadline for the E3 countries to remedy the situation.
The 60-Day window of opportunity is intended to spur the three EU countries that signed the agreement to do more to keep their end of the bargain by increasing trade with Iran.
Iran argues that its long-signalled moves do not breach the JCPOA, because Iran is entitled to take reversible steps to suspend parts of the deal, and to reduce its commitments, if another signatory to the deal has failed to keep a commitment, notably the undertaking to boost trade between the EU and Iran.
So long as the EU three fail to honour their promises, Iran will go on incrementally reducing its commitments under the deal, something which is allowed under article 26 and 36 of the JCPOA. Iran's step-by-step approach is in accordance to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Iran will no longer carry the burden of preserving the nuclear deal solely
Thus, Friday's JCPOA joint commission meeting in Vienna was of immense importance for Iran to publicly announce its last warnings to the remaining parties of the deal that Tehran will no longer adhere to JCPOA unilaterally.
A political expert Cornelia Mayer in an interview with Al-Jazeera English also noted that Iranian officials are no longer prepared to carry the burden of preserving the nuclear deal solely by themselves.
With regard to the final statement of the joint commission meeting and the stances taken by the remaining parties of the deal, which emphasised guaranteeing of Iran's economic interest within JCPOA, the Vienna meeting is assessed as a positive step, yet the Europeans have a lot to do.
A message to Washington
The Vienna meeting also sent a clear message to Washington, that its policies were no longer supported by the remaining parties to the deal.
Daryl Kimball, Executive Director of Arms Control Association in US also described the Vienna meeting as an appropriate step by Europeans as well as China and Russia to denounce US policies. That was a step toward fulfilling the promises on lifting sanctions against Iran, he added.
What saves the JCPOA now is the realisation of the promises given in the meeting in Vienna, and Europe's ensuring that its trade ties with Iran receive a substantial boost, possibly through INSTEX.
If INSTEX fails to work as anticipated, then the Europeans must be held accountable, for Iran will no longer shoulder the entire burden of US exit from the international nuclear deal. 101/211/215
Read more:
Vienna Meeting a positive step forward: Araghchi
JCPOA deputy FMs joint commission meeting starts in Vienna
