Nobody Wants Escalation of Regional Tensions: Germany

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran on Monday, Maas described conditions in the region as “sensitive and serious” and said in his recent visits to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, he held talks with senior officials of the countries about the situation.

The German top diplomat further emphasized that no country wants an escalation of tensions in the region.

He also pointed to the future of the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and said Germany and the other two European parties to the agreement, namely the UK and France, support the JCPOA and are trying to meet their obligations.      

The remarks came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US with Washington imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from JCPOA.

Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.

Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans and selling crude oil.

On the first anniversary of the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Iran announced that it would suspend the implementation of some of its commitments under the deal, announcing that it would stop exporting excess uranium and heavy water, setting a 60-day deadline for the five remaining parties to the deal to take practical measures towards ensuring its interests in the face of the American sanctions.