France distances itself from EU partners on possible new sanctions against Iran

Tabnak – During years of tough negotiations between Iran and the six world powers over the nuclear issue, France was known to have one of the strictest positions against Tehran. Now that the US is trying to once again increase pressures on Iran with non-nuclear excuse, it seems to have Paris on board again.

In this vien, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has urged the European Union to adopt new sanctions against Iran over its alleged role in Syria and Yemen, as well as its missile program. Le Drian said as he arrived at a meeting with his EU counterparts to discuss Iran on Monday that Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement should be respected.

"But we must not exclude Iran's responsibility in the proliferation of ballistic missiles and in its very questionable role in the near- and Middle East," he said. "That must also be discussed to reach a common position."

Le Drian’s remarks comes as the European Union foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, says the bloc has no plans to impose more sanctions on Iran after reports emerged that European signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have proposed fresh sanctions against Tehran under the pressure of Washington.

"There is no proposal of additional sanctions against Iran. It is clearly not a matter of adding sanctions - no proposal in this respect today and clearly, no decision," Mogherini told reporters on Monday upon her arrival at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council.

She added that the EU foreign ministers would focus on "continuing the full implementation of the nuclear deal," officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015 amid constant US threats to withdraw from it. 

Britain, France and Germany have proposed new EU sanctions on Iran over its missile program and its regional role, a confidential document said on Friday, Reuters reported. The joint paper was sent to the EU capitals to sound out support for such sanctions as they would need the backing of all 28 member states of the bloc, Reuters quoted two people familiar with the matter as saying.

Reacting to reports about the sanctions proposal by the EU, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Saturday any new sanctions that undermine the nuclear accord will go against the Europeans' pledges at the commission's meeting. He noted that any such move to appease the US will be a big mistake that will affect the very existence of the nuclear agreement.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the US, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.