INTERNATIONAL

Tehran sent letters to European Union ambassadors saying sanctions over Iran protests could rupture EU-Iranian ties.

Iran has sent letters to European Union diplomats this week warning them to forgo issuing new sanctions on Tehran over its crackdown on protesters, saying the sanctions could result in the rupture of Europe’s ties with the country.

“If Europe misses taking the nuances of the current situation into consideration, the ramification will be grave and the bilateral relations may not survive it,” said one letter sent to EU ambassadors and obtained by Politico.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Wednesday received a similar letter, also obtained by Politico, that was sent by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

The letter to EU ambassadors, sent by Iranian Ambassador to the EU Gholamhossein Dehghani, implies that punishing Iran for the violence will “bear a detrimental impact on Iran-Europe relations” which are already “at their most fragile at the moment”.

“Canada will continue to defend human rights and we will continue to stand in solidarity with the Iranian people, including women and youth, who are courageously demanding a future where their human rights will be fully respected.”

US ‘not focused’ on nuclear talks

In his letter to diplomats, Dehghani also stated the importance of the Iran nuclear talks and said it was important to stay on a path to returning to the deal.

“At this critical juncture, when there is a real shot at the revival of the JCPOA post-US midterms, this is all the more critical,” said the letter, referring to the deal’s official name – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

But the US said on Wednesday that reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal is “not our focus right now”, and added that Tehran had shown little interest in reviving the pact and that Washington was concentrating on how to support Iranian protesters.

“It is very clear and the Iranians have made very clear that this is not a deal that they have been prepared to make. The deal certainly does not appear imminent,” Price told a briefing.

“Nothing we’ve heard in recent weeks suggests they have changed their position. And so right now our focus … is on the remarkable bravery and courage that the Iranian people are exhibiting through their peaceful demonstrations,” he said.

After a year-and-a-half of indirect talks between the US and Iran, a final draft agreement was created by the EU, but the talks have stalled as several sticking points continue to take hold.

In addition to Iran seeking a guarantee that the US would stick to the deal, Tehran has also called for an end to an investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency into uranium traces found at three undeclared sites in Iran.

Source: Middle East Eye