Nuclear Weapons: Trump Regime Pressured E3 Countries (UK, France, Germany) to Trigger JCPOA Dispute Mechanism

Post-WW II, Washington transformed Western European countries into virtual US colonies — their presence status.

Judge them by their actions. Time and again, they subordinate their sovereign rights to US interests, even when harming their own.

It shows by imposing unlawful sanctions on Russia and other nations on the US target list for regime change, harming their economies from reduced trade, along with violating international law.

Since the Trump regime’s illegal May 2018 withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal, European countries followed the US lead by breaching their mandated obligations.

Britain, France, Germany, and Brussels falsely blamed Iran for rolling back its voluntary commitments as permitted under JCPOA Articles 26 and 36 — bowing to Trump regime pressure, going along with its hostile anti-Iran agenda instead of forthrightly denouncing it.

According to the Washington Post on Wednesday, days before E3 countries Britain, France and Germany triggered the JCPOA dispute resolution mechanism — falsely accusing Iran of breaching the deal — the Trump regime threatened 25% tariffs on EU auto exports to the US if it failed to take this step.

Citing unnamed EU officials “familiar with the conversations…within days the (E3) countries…formally accuse(d) Iran of violating the deal…”

Triggering the dispute mechanism is step one toward unravelling the JCPOA altogether, the Trump regime’s aim.

Europe rhetorically supports the agreement, its actions aiming to undermine it because Trump regime hardliners demand it.

One unnamed EU official called US pressure “extortion,” WaPo saying what’s going on “underscore(s) the extraordinary tumult in the transatlantic relationship.”

What it really shows is EU subservience to US demands, the landmark JCPOA hanging in the balance.

If E3 countries follow dispute mechanism steps to conclusion, the agreement will be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Unacceptable Security Council sanctions will be reimposed on Iran, tensions more greatly heightening, the envelope pushed toward greater regional confrontation and instability than already.

WaPo quoted European Council on Foreign Relations research director Jeremy Shapiro, saying the Trump regime’s “tariff threat is a mafia-like tactic, and it’s not how relations between allies typically work.”

An unnamed EU official was quoted, saying: “We didn’t want to look weak, so we agreed to keep the existence of the threat a secret.”

The claim by E3 countries that they’re not part of the Trump regime’s “maximum pressure” against Iran is belied by their actions since DJT unlawfully withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018.

Separately on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif slammed the E3, tweeting:

“Europe, EU, is the largest global economy. So why do you allow the United States to bully you around?”

“Appeasement confirmed.”

“E3 sold out remnants of #JCPOA to avoid new Trump tariffs.”

“It won’t work…You only whet his appetite. Remember your high school bully?”

“If you want to sell your integrity, go ahead. But DO NOT assume high moral/legal ground.”

“YOU DON’T HAVE IT.”

“E3 think they’re living in the 19th Century, when they dictated to countries, lied, & got away with it.”

“IRAN is NOT the one emptying the accord of its substance—the E3 is. Forget about compensating for US: fulfill your own obligations. EVEN JUST ONE.”

“Here’s what E3 HAS been busy w/since the US left JCPOA:”

“✔️Reality Check 2:”

“Issued empty statements. Violated its own laws by bowing to US extraterritorial sanctions. Ignored Iran’s 3 notifications of DRM activation.”

“Set up INSTEX w/o single transaction. Enough is enough.”

Russia slammed the E3’s action, its Foreign Ministry saying activation of the dispute mechanism makes returning to JCPOA implementation “impossible.”

Spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry Geng Shuang said the E3 move “will not help solve (outstanding) issues or ease current tensions.”

Triggering the JCPOA dispute mechanism by E3 countries Britain, France, and Germany was a hostile anti-Iran action.

If pursued to resolution as seems likely, their action will drive the final nail in the JCPOA.

What took years to agree on and be unanimously adopted by Security Council members in July 2015 will be undone in a matter of weeks — to please anti-Iran Trump regime hardliners, at the expense of Middle East peace, stability and security.

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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.


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Articles by: Stephen Lendman

About the author:

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

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