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U.S. sees strong shared interests with EU
on Iran concerns
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 [May 21, 2018]
WASHINGTON/ BERLIN (Reuters) - The
United States on Sunday said it hopes to use strong shared interests
that have emerged with its European Union partners in recent months to
move forward on addressing Iran's nuclear program, missile development
and role in regional conflicts.
A State Department official said the shared interests could form a
"foundation to continue to work together moving forward."
Iran said on Sunday that it would join a meeting with diplomats from
Britain, Germany, France, China and Russia in Vienna on Friday to
discuss next steps after the May 8 decision by U.S. President Donald
Trump to exit the 2015 nuclear accord.
It said Washington would not participate in the meeting of the joint
commission set up by the six world powers, Iran and the European Union
to handle any complaints about the deal's implementation.
The German newspaper Welt am Sonntag cited an unnamed senior EU official
as saying there were also discussions about a possible new pact between
Iran and world powers that would cover the same ground as the 2015 deal
but with some additions to appease the United States.
These could include provisions to address U.S. concerns over Iran's
ballistic missile program and Tehran's support of armed groups in the
Middle East, the source said.
"We have to get away from the name 'Vienna nuclear agreement' and add in
a few additional elements. Only that will convince President Trump to
agree and lift sanctions again," the senior EU official told the paper.
Such an agreement could in the future include financial aid for Iran,
the report said.
The State Department official said Washington hoped the EU would focus
"on the central issue here: Iran's multiple set of malign behaviors with
regard to its nuclear program, missile development, terrorism, regional
conflicts, and other issues."
Three EU sources who were part of negotiations to keep Trump from
quitting the nuclear deal said Friday's meeting would address only the
implementation of the 2015 deal, but not offer Iran financial aid in
exchange for concessions.
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A gas flare on an oil production platform in the Soroush oil fields
is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Persian Gulf, Iran, July
25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi//File Photo
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi rejected
reports of a proposed new agreement as "irrelevant claims", the
semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
"A meeting set for the next few days for the first joint commission
without the United States ... will only cover issues of the nuclear
accord between Iran and the other members," Qasemi said.
Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on state
television that the "joint commission ... will be held at Iran's
request, and without the United States, to discuss the consequences
of America's withdrawal, and how the remaining countries can
continue their commitment to the deal."
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will outline a
"diplomatic roadmap" and call for broad support from European and
other allies to apply pressure on Iran to force it back to the
negotiating table, as well as their support to address "the totality
of Iran's threats".
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Berlin and Damon Darlin in
Washington, Additional reporting by Parisa Hafezi in Ankara, Editing
by Raissa Kasolowsky, Dale Hudson, William Maclean)
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