© My Future America/KJN
Iran wants to preserve the deal but adjustments need to be made as a result of Washington's decision to withdraw from the landmark accord, Abbas Araghchi said in an interview to Euronews. The deal has "lost its balance" due to the US withdrawal, he added, so "if Europeans, and other remaining participants of the JCPOA are interested in Iran remaining in the deal, they should compensate [for] the absence of the US, and the re-imposition of US sanctions."
Tehran has repeatedly stated that it wants to salvage the deal, but has expressed frustration over European proposals for preserving the accord. Ali Akbar Salehi, chief of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), said on Tuesday that Europe's proposals to save the deal after the US withdrawal were not acceptable to Tehran. "If it continues like this, all sides will lose," Salehi said.
The European Union is considering a range of options to help breathe life into the faltering deal. Federica Mogherini, the European Union's chief diplomat, said in May that the bloc was considering deepening Europe's economic ties with Iran, shielding banking transactions with Tehran, and maintaining Iranian oil and gas purchases - as well as using EU finance to boost investment in the Middle East country. Like Araghchi, she likened the nuclear deal to "a relative in intensive care."
Comment: With the US exit, the onus is on the other members of the JCPOA to make a deal, keep it alive, support Iran, avoid war. By Trump forcing the issue, others are having to step up - broad-basing leadership, decision-making and responsibility.