Tabnak – In the same day as the United States started the new wave of economic sanctions against Iran, the European Union has put into effect legal measures to protect European entities that continue to work with Tehran. The new sanctions is seemingly increasing the gap between Washington and its European allies.
In this vein, the European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said the EU is encouraging enterprises to increase their business with Iran, as that country has been compliant with their nuclear-related commitments.
Mogherini told reporters Tuesday during her trip to Wellington, New Zealand, that it is up to Europeans to decide whom they want to trade with.
"We are doing our best to keep Iran in the deal, to keep Iran benefiting from the economic benefits that the agreement brings to the people of Iran because we believe this is in the security interests of not only our region, but also of the world. If there is one piece of international agreements on nuclear non-proliferation that is delivering, it has to be maintained," Mogherini said, AP reported.
She said the EU is encouraging enterprises to increase their business with Iran, as that country has been compliant with their nuclear-related commitments.
Despite warnings from the EU and other international actors, the United States pulled out of the deal in May and reintroduced the sanctions that had been lifted under the accord. Washington also said third countries that maintain business with Iran would be penalized with “secondary sanctions.”
Iran, meanwhile, has remained in the deal, stressing, however, that its commitment would only continue if the remaining parties could ensure continued trade with Iran and Iranian access to the international market.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has warned other countries against doing business with Tehran, saying he had imposed "the most biting" sanctions on the country.
"The Iran sanctions have officially been cast. These are the most biting sanctions ever imposed, and in November they ratchet up to yet another level," Trump wrote in an early morning tweet Tuesday. "Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States. I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less," he added.
However, under the blocking statute which has been put into force by the European Union, EU businesses can sue the US administration in the national courts of member states. European firms must seek a legal exemption for withdrawing from Iran due to US sanctions and those failing to do so could be penalized by their governments.
Firms, however, do not need to apply for EU authorization to leave Iran if their decision is based on business grounds, making the issue a tricky one. Many European companies withdrew from Iran after Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and set a grace period for firms to wind down their business in the country.
