Germany underestimates potential risks of failed JCPOA: Ulyanov
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Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna says Germany underestimates the importance of nuclear non-proliferation.
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Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna (AFP)
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, considered on Thursday that Germany is underestimating the risks of uncontrolled escalation that may emerge if talks on restoring the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - end in failure.
On Wednesday, German Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Christofer Burger said his country sees no reason to return to the JCPOA.
"From our point of view, there are currently no indications or reasons for a resumption of the Iran nuclear negotiations," said Burger, adding that his country is focusing on supporting rioters in Iran.
"The German MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] stated that Berlin saw no reason to resume the Vienna Talks. Apparently, Germany underestimates the importance of nuclear non-proliferation, as well as the risk of serious and even uncontrolled escalation if the talks on JCPOA remain inconclusive," Ulyanov wrote on Twitter.
The German MFA stated that Berlin saw no reason to resume the #ViennaTalks. Apparently #Germany underestimates the importance of nuclear non-proliferation, as well as the risk of serious and even uncontrolled escalation if the talks on #JCPOA remain inconclusive.
— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) December 29, 2022
Iran, Germany, and the five permanent UN Security Council members negotiated the JCPOA in 2015. The United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 under the Trump administration, causing Iran to suspend the deal.
On-off talks to revive the JCPOA started in April last year, but the indirect talks between the US and Iran have stalled for several months with Iran facing Western-led riots.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Sputnik during an interview on Thursday that no alternative exists for the JCPOA on Iran's nuclear program, adding that speculations regarding a "plan B" rather than restoring the deal is a ticking time bomb of possible escalation.
"Life has proved that the JCPOA has no reasonable alternative. We consider it irresponsible to speculate about the notorious 'plan B' and other unacceptable options. The transition to them leads to escalation, an arms race, an open conflict with irreversible consequences," Lavrov said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stressed on Wednesday "the window for negotiation that is open today will not remain open tomorrow if the United States and others do not stop the hypocrisy."
Last week, a video that surfaced on social media showed US President Joe Biden saying that the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran is "dead".
#BREAKING: @POTUS is asked when he’s going to declare #Iran JCPOA dead and he says: “It is dead but we’re not gonna announce it.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/YjZGmsP5lW
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) December 20, 2022
In the same context, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator, John Kirby, said the prospects for the JCPOA deal to be renewed are nowhere near sight, citing reasons related to the Western-backed riots in Iran.
"We simply don't see a deal coming together anytime soon while Iran continues to kill its own citizens, and selling UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles or drones] to Russia," Kirby claimed during a press briefing.
"Now we don't anticipate any progress anytime in the near future. That's just not our focus," he added.
