Iran Urges EU to Build Trust in Line with Geneva Deal
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Reacting to European Union decision to maintain sanctions against some major Iranian firms, foreign ministry spokesperson urged the EU to move in line with the recent Geneva nuclear and to take some trust building steps.
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said that the European Union decision was a “one-sided and politically-motivated” move which lacks necessary legal basis.
“This move is questionable and surprising, particularly considering the Geneva negotiations and joint efforts made to take the first steps towards its implementation,” Afkham added.
“We strongly reject this issue and recommend the European Union to align itself with the Geneva deal and take steps for strengthening mutual confidence,” she stated.
Iranian deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs and top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, too, had on November 29 criticized the EU for re-imposing sanctions against Iranian companies.
The EU announced last week that it would keep sanctions against almost all the firms that won challenges to the bloc's sanctions regime in EU courts in September by "re-listing" them for new sanctions breaches.
The move came a couple of days after Iran and the G5+1 struck a deal in Geneva that would curb parts of Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for easing of some sanctions imposed on the country.
The decision relates to 16 of the 18 companies that won their challenges in the EU's second highest court on September 16. Just 10 days before this decision, the EU relisted eight companies affected by a court ruling on September 6.
On September 16, the EU's second highest court overturned 18 of the EU's sanctions listings, including Iran's main shipping companies, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, or IRISL, and a number of its subsidiaries.
Ten days earlier, the General Court struck down sanctions against eight companies, including state-owned Iran Insurance Co., the country's largest insurer.
The 28-nation bloc is already starting work to implement the stipulations of the Geneva agreement but the sanctions are unlikely to be curtailed until January.
