EU states stance on Trump’s new approach towards Iran

CAIRO - 18 October 2017: U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy put Washington at odds with major EU countries benefiting from Iran’s renewed nuclear deal.

Trump struck a blow against the nuclear agreement with Iran on Friday, choosing not to certify that Tehran is complying with the deal and warning he might ultimately terminate it. His Iran strategy angered Tehran and put Washington at odds with other signatories of the accord - Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union - some of which have benefited economically from renewed trade with Iran, Reuters reported.

While Trump did not pull the United States out of the agreement, he gave the U.S. Congress 60 days to decide whether to re-impose economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the pact. Even without such sanctions, the fate of the aircraft deals depends on the U.S. administration’s approval, Reuters reported.

European Union pledges to “maintain” the nuclear deal
In the same context, the EU pledged on Monday to defend the nuclear deal with Iran conducted on July 14, 2015, and urged U.S. congressmen not to sanction Iran again after Trump chose not to certify Tehran's commitment to the nuclear deal.
Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday reaffirmed their support for the nuclear pact and said failure to uphold it could have serious consequences for regional peace and undermine efforts to check North Korea's nuclear ambitions, Reuters reported.

Britain works to enforce Iran nuclear deal, France strongly condemns it
Britain and France are firmly committed to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal and will work to ensure it is enforced, British Prime Minister Theresa May's office said on Monday after she spoke with French President Macron.

However, France had a much clearer stance towards Trump’s new strategy, which could be viewed in two moves: the announcement of a possible visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Tehran following an invitation by his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, a visit considered to be the first by a European leader to Iran in the wake of the Islamic Revolution’s success in 1979. Also, Macron spoke on Sunday in a TV interview with TV1, criticizing Trump's attitude towards Iran, stressing that his approach to Iran would create a new North Korea.

Russia denounces Trump’s policy, urging all parties to continue commitment with the nuclear deal
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Washington's stance on the agreement of Iran's nuclear program shows a problem in the United States' ability to follow through on negotiations.

Before Trump announced his strategy towards Iran, Russia confirmed its solid stance in support of Iran against the U.S. Lavrov expressed his country's hope that the final decision of Trump on the nuclear deal with Iran would be met.

"We hope that the final decision by the U.S. president will be balanced and that the current facts will be as follows: This program is very, very urgent," Lavrov said. Shortly before the speech, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the acting U.S.

ambassador to Moscow and informed him of his complete denunciation to an agreement breach.

In general, President Trump's strategy appears to be facing full international rejection, with Washington likely to lose its allies, which seems unlikely to succeed under the international "protection" of Iran and the international community "saving" the nuclear deal. Trump's desire to rally countries against Iran will not work.