Tehran, Iran, April 30
By Fikret Dolukhanov, Kamyar Eghbalnejad – Trend:
The Europeans have clearly stated that they will remain in nuclear deal with Iran, even if the US withdraws from it, Vice-President of Iran-Germany Chamber of Commerce Amir Alizadeh told Trend in Tehran.
“I think that even in the event of a US withdrawal, the continuation of the deal with Europe will be possible, which, of course, will be a bit harder, considering the impose of secondary sanctions,” Alizadeh added.
He went on to note that the volume of trade between Iran and Germany increased by 20-25 percent and German exports to Iran increased by 15 percent, compared to 2016.
“The trade turnover between the two countries totaled $3 billion in 2017. Some 30 percent of Germany's export to Iran accounted for machinery. Iran's exports to Germany grows for the second consecutive year in 2017, and its total output increased by 35 percent in comparison with 2016,” Alizadeh concluded.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States - plus Germany (P5+1) signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.
Under the agreement, limits were put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.
Previously, US President Donald Trump said that the US may withdraw from the nuclear deal.
European officials have already held several talks with Tehran, Moscow and Washington as part of a drive to salvage the nuclear deal with Iran that President Donald Trump is threatening to scuttle.
So far, Iran has adhered to the terms of the nuclear deal, as verified by International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors in previous reports since the pact was implemented in January 2016.
But the economic benefits Iran is receiving in return have fallen short of expectations, even after energy and financial sanctions were lifted. Major banks and companies have avoided engaging with Iran from fear of running afoul of remaining US restrictions or seeing a "snapback" of sanctions given Trump’s threats.
Trump has told the Europeans that they must agree to "fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal" or he would re-impose the sanctions that Washington lifted as part of the pact.
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