Cool Minds Should Prevail, Italian Analyst Says on Efforts to Save JCPOA

tasnimnews.com

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior fellow with the Transatlantic Program of the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) described the current situation around the 2015 nuclear deal as “very precarious”, stressing that “cool minds should prevail” if parties are seeking to salvage the agreement.

[Alcaro] image from entry

Excerpt:

Following is ... [part of] the interview:

Tasnim: UK, France, Germany, Russia and China have expressed their support for the deal, saying that they would stand by it despite the US pullout. Do you think the agreement will stand without the US? Will Europeans, Russia and China continue to honor their commitments under the deal?

Alcaro: It is very important that the Iranians cash in now on the diplomatic support from Europe, Russia and China, secure their assistance in being able to sell oil abroad. But Iran should also be patient.

The US has promised it will adopt new sanctions and there is no need now for Europe and Iran to rush to find alternative solutions to escape US sanctions.

Over time, America’s resolve to punish its European allies for abiding by a UNSC-sanctioned nonproliferation deal may waver.

So my suggestion would be that Europe and Iran stay engaged on the JCPOA, cooperate with Russia and China and other countries on ways to keep Iran’s ability to export oil in place and wait for the US next move.

In the meantime, the Europeans should wage a public diplomacy [JB emphasis] campaign in America to make the case that punishing allies is the best way to eventually lose those allies. ...