Iran Press/Europe: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday that He is going to analyze and consider all of the options for reducing tensions in the Middle East.
German Foreign Minister's remarks came as he met his Bulgarian counterpart, Ekaterina Gecheva-Zaharieva in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, Iran Press reported.
Speaking on the joint press conference over the escalating tensions between Iran and US, Heiko Maas expressed concerned about it and said that Germany is considering and studying all of the possible options and alternatives to find a de-escalating solution in the Middle East.
The US President Donald Trump last year (On May 8) pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, and further intensified pressure on Tehran by re-imposing sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
Trump administration has recently announced that it would no longer renew Iran sanctions' waivers on eight countries--Turkey, China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan--upon their expiration on May 2.
Related News:
US will not reissue waivers for Iran oil imports: White House
In 2015, world powers agreed to lift economic sanctions imposed on Iran in return for Tehran agreeing to limit its nuclear activity to peaceful and civilian purposes.
The agreement, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed between Iran and major powers Russia, China, France, the UK, and the US, plus Germany.
Despite the US withdrawal from the agreement, EU heavyweights Germany, France, and the UK have set up a new mechanism in January, offering European firms an alternative payments channel to continue trade with Iran despite US sanctions.
After the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran by the Trump administration and a failure by the European Union to offset the effects sanctions, Iran officially announced on May 8 that it will partially suspend some of its commitments under the JCPOA.
Iran stated that it would no longer observe limits for its stockpile of low enriched uranium currently capped at 300kg under the JCPOA and heavy water reserve (capped at 130 tons).
Iran said the ultimatum is for 60 days. However, it warned if a conclusion is not reached in this time period, it will take other measures step by step including accelerating its uranium enrichment activities.
“This announcement is for 60 days. We have announced to the other side, the five countries [Germany, France, UK, Russia and China], that if they come to the negotiating table in 60 days and we reach a conclusion and safeguard our main interests which are oil [sale] and banking relations, we will return to the previous situation of May 7, 2019,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told a cabinet meeting on May 8.
Under the JCPOA, endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Iran was tasked to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for the termination of economic and financial sanctions.
However, since Trump pulled the US out of the JCPOA, the European countries cut banking ties with Iran, stopped purchasing Iranian oil, annulled agreements, and their companies left Iran one after another. 104/203
Read More:
Germany vows to stand by Iran nuclear deal
EU convinced maximum pressure won’t work on Iran: German FM
