German minister lands in Iran in bid to save nuclear pact
Germany’s foreign minister has arrived in Tehran on Monday, as part of a European effort to preserve Iran’s nuclear pact and discuss the implementation of European financial channel 'INSTEX'.
Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas is to meet first with the Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and then with the President Hassan Rouhani.
As the western side of Iran's nuclear deal didn't adhere to their commitments, last month, Iran scaled back some commitments under the 2015 deal.
West European signatories, including Germany, want to try to keep the nuclear accord alive although they haven't fulfilled their promises in JCPOA, including forming INSTEX as a financial channel.
On Jan 31 Europe promised to create a financial channel between Iran and European countries but that promise is yet to be fulfilled.
US-Iran tensions in the region
As tensions with the United States have mounted again since President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the accord in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, Maas wants to play a role in easing US-Iran tensions.
Maas warned during a weekend stopover in Iraq en route to Tehran about the dangers of any conflict with Iran for the entire Middle East, and said the Europeans were convinced it was worth trying to keep the nuclear agreement with Iran.
On Sunday, Zarif said Iran did not view Maas as a mediator with Washington, he added: “It is unlikely that the German foreign minister is travelling to Tehran to carry a special message.”
Iran has always said its nuclear activity is peaceful and refuses to put its missile and military capabilities on the negotiating table, as the Trump administration has demanded.
On June 8, The German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stressed that Iran's implementation of the landmark nuclear accord known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action is a key step towards regional security and stability.
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