Could Britain, France, Germany be trusted

The Iranian diplomatic drive as a last ditch effort to save the 7-nation international accord on Iran’s use of peaceful nuclear energy following the shameless breech of the same by the US, or more properly its roguishly quixotic president, Donald Trump, depends on the three major European countries’ courage to stand up against Washington’s pressures and commitment to their own promises, rather than backtracking for which France, Britain and Germany are notorious.

Stay with us for a Viewpoint written by columnist S. Nawabzadeh and titled “Could Britain, France, Germany be Trusted” that appeared in Iran’s English language daily Kayhan International on Wednesday May 16.

Kayhan International noted: “The Leader of the Islamic Revolution did not mince words when in a clear tone he told the concerned Iranian officials last week following the cowardly Donald Trump’s unmanly move in breaching the international accord ‘JCPOA’ (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action): “Do not trust the three European countries either; secure firm guarantees”.

“Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, whose farsightedness is a byword, had foreseen outcome of the compromising talks on Iran’s inalienable nuclear rights, and repeatedly cautioned Iranian negotiators at Geneva against believing whatever false promises the avowed enemies of the Islamic Republic would make, without lifting once and for all the illegal sanctions with written commitment not to indulge in such hostile behaviour again, or inserting clauses deemed detrimental to Tehran.

“It seems, either his prophetic words went unheeded or the negotiating team was so eager to show its goodwill gestures to its dangerously nuclear-armed opponents that it allowed itself to be duped by the crafty Europeans and Americans in not just agreeing to a dramatic downscale of Iran’s uranium enrichment from 20 percent industrial grade to a mere 3.5 percent, along with the unwarranted clause in the JCPOA that the 7-nation international deal be left to the whims of the US president for recertification every three months, otherwise the token waiving of a few sanctions would snap back with greater sting.

Kayhan International said: “In order to give diplomacy a last chance, Ayatollah Khamenei, in his capacity as Valiy-e Faqih or Supreme Jurisprudent upon whom it is incumbent to safeguard Iran’s Islamic identity, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, industrial and defence capability, and trans-regional stability in order to ensure peace by weeding out terrorists, has, on the basis of his undisputable acumen and political prudence, given the necessary guidelines to the Iranian negotiators on dealing with the three major European states, that is, France, Germany and Britain, who have a history of deceit towards the Iranian nation.”

“The Leader has said in unambiguous words: “This issue is very sensitive; if you succeed in receiving a definitive and reliable guarantee, which is indeed very unlikely, there is no problem and press ahead; otherwise, things cannot continue like this.”

Kayhan International noted that “On Tuesday, news from Brussels said the Iranian Foreign Minister held what he called “constructive” talks with his French, German, and British counterparts as well as the European Union Foreign Policy Chief, after having visited China and Russia for the purpose of safeguarding JCPOA.

“So far so good”, remarked the daily, adding: “We hope Mohammad Javad Zarif succeeds in procuring written promises from the remaining parties to the JCPOA that they will not breach their commitments and continue to cooperate with Iran without bowing to US pressures or raising irrelevant topics such as Iran’s non-negotiable right to increase the range and precision of its conventional ballistic missile system and its positive presence in the regional countries on the invitation of their governments and peoples.”

Kayhan International pointed out: “Reports, however, from European capitals speak of the inability of the French, German and British regimes to resist US pressures, coupled with their own intrusive remarks against the Islamic Republic.

“Examples in this regard are British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s briefing to his parliament that ‘regime’ change in Iran was not a policy Britain should pursue.

“How dare he utters such nonsensical words while engaging in sugar-coated diplomacy with his Iranian counterpart? It is not the era of the Qajarids or the Pahlavis, when London could install and depose the slavish Shahs at its will. The Islamic Republic over the past four decades has continued to face hostility from the intransigent British, who should never be trusted.

“Another example of European hypocrisy is French President Emmanuel Macron’s dream of appeasing the treacherous Trump by imposing a new deal on Iran to further limit its peaceful nuclear programme, curb its self-defensive ballistic missile project and end what he mischievously called ‘destabilization’ of Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon, when the real culprits are the West, the illegal Zionist entity, and Arab reactionary regimes with their backing of terrorists and vain efforts to overthrow governments.

“The million dollar question is: Can Tehran trust Paris in view of its unprovoked hostility of the past four decades that includes its supply of sophisticated weapons to Saddam during the 8-year US imposed war, and its harbouring of terrorists with blood of the Iranian people on their hands, such as the MKO?

“As for Germany, Iran well remembers how this country backtracked on its commitment to complete the Bushehr Atomic Plant on the victory of the Islamic Revolution, and the internationally-banned chemicals it supplied Saddam to bomb Iranian combatants and civilians.

“These undeniable facts warrant Iran to tread with caution regarding talks with the said three European countries, so as not to be taken for a ride again.”

AS/SS