The European Union, he said, had made proposals and taken initial steps toward using the euro in dealings with the Islamic Republic.
Iranian FM Javad Zarif told the EU energy chief that the bloc must take “practical steps” to strengthen economic ties with Tehran after Washington’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal, saying that “political support” was not enough.
“With the withdrawal of America, [Iran’s] public expectations of the European Union have increased in order to maintain the deal’s gains, and in the current context, the European political support for the accord is not sufficient,” Zarif said as he met Miguel Arias Canete, the EU’s energy commissioner, in Tehran on Sunday.
To provide real support to Tehran, European countries should ramp up economic co-operation and increase investment in the country, Zarif said.
Miguel Arias Canete Tweet
The EU’s energy commissioner said that Washington’s move to withdraw from the JCPOA “has created problems for Europe.” Canete reaffirmed that the EU was committed to implementing and maintaining the agreement, as well as continuing co-operation with Iran.
Previously, Canete met with Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi on Saturday.
Salehi described US exit from the Iran nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a foolish move.
Salehi said EU efforts to preserve the nuclear pact shows that "the JCPOA is a very important agreement in line with our national interests and regional interest as well as those of the international community."
Also, Iranian oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh held a meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete on Saturday.
During the meeting held in Tehran, Mr. Zanganeh referred to his meeting with the EU Energy Commissioner last year, stressing that today’s situation is special that could become more sensitive with our negotiations.
Trump announced US withdrawal from the JCPOA on May 8 and vowed to reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose “the highest level” of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.
Tehran has said it would make a decision on its future role in the nuclear agreement in the coming weeks following negotiations with the other signatories of the deal.
EU powers have scrambled to save the JCPOA and protect their businesses in Iran against the US sanctions.
