A glimmer of hope for the JCPOA as the EU is taking active measures to save the deal

Tabnak – After being in an intensive process of talks for weeks to find ways to save the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran and the European Union are both saying that actual measures for this purpose are completely in reach. In this vein, the European countries are upgrading their legal provisions to deal with the new US sanctions against Iran.

In this vein, it’s reported that EU countries gave European firms legal cover to operate in Iran despite the US pullout from the nuclear deal, after a report that the Trump administration has rejected calls by Brussels for an exemption from sanctions.

The bloc's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday the 28 countries were doing all they could to save the deal but conceded President Donald Trump's administration could still wreck it.

"Today, the (European) Council has endorsed the update of the blocking statute annex on the nuclear deal with Iran," Mogherini told reporters in Brussels at a meeting with EU foreign ministers, AFP reported. She said the European Parliament gave its consent to the statute two weeks ago.

The "blocking statute" forbids EU firms from complying with US sanctions, allowing them to recover damages from such penalties and nullifying any foreign court rulings against them. The EU vowed to fight to preserve the Iran nuclear deal after the US withdrawal, one of many points of US-European contention.

The blocking statute is due to enter force on August 6, when the first set of US sanctions are due. The second set is due November 4, just before US legislative elections.

In the same vein, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif highlighted the commitment of remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear deal after the US exit and said their practical measures have started.

Addressing a gathering of foreign diplomats and economic activists in Tehran on Monday evening, Zarif pointed to the willingness of Iran’s trade partners to have an active presence in the country after Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA and said other parties to the deal have reiterated their commitment to the JCPOA.

He further referred to recent trips to regional countries as well as India and South Africa by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s envoys and said they witnessed that there is a determination in the countries to cooperate with Iran.

In another related development, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says India is determined to maintain the nuclear deal. "India is resolved to save the JCPOA," said Araqchi following a meeting with government officials during a trip to the Indian capital New Delhi on Monday.

"Considering the US' recent move of quitting the nuclear agreement with Iran and its effect on relations with India, the subject of a the JCPOA was an important part of our talks," said Araqchi.

In May, US President Donald Trump announced that he would pull America out of a 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and re-impose the sanctions that the deal had envisaged to be lifted.

The sanctions would include a universal ban on Iran over buying or acquiring US dollars which will come into force in August as well as restrictions over purchases of crude oil from the country and investing in its oil sector projects which will become effective by the start of November.