Zarif Challenges EU3 Snapback Mechanism Plan in Letter to Borrell
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has sent a 14-page letter to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, disputing a decision by the three European members of the 2015 nuclear deal to trigger the snapback mechanism, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, Seyed Abbas Mousavi said Zarif has challenged a decision by France, the UK and Germany to trigger the dispute mechanism in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The European parties to the nuclear deal have not still triggered the snapback mechanism, Mousavi noted, saying they had plans to resort to the dispute mechanism, but Zarif wrote the letter to High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell and provided legal reasoning to argue about and challenge the EU3’s justifications for using the mechanism.
Mousavi also pointed to a significant visit Borrell is going to pay to Iran today, expressing hope that the EU foreign policy chief would recognize the root causes of the new regional conditions in his meetings with Iranian officials.
“Today’s talks (between Borrell and Iranian officials) will be quite frank,” the spokesman added.
He also said that Zarif will attend the Munich Security Conference, due to be held on February 14-16.
