Sputnik - Paris is trying to convince signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to work out a new deal with Tehran, retaining the arrangements of the JCPOA while creating a more complete document which all parties, including the US, can agree on. Senior Iranian lawmaker Hossein Naghavi-Hosseini told Sputnik why the French idea is unacceptable.




"Iran is ready to�participate in�the negotiations process for�the existing JCPOA, but�only in�the framework of�a discussion on�its implementation, and not on�its adjustment or the introduction of�some new points to�the signed documents," Naghavi-Hosseini�said, speaking to�Sputnik Persian.
The Iranian parliament's JCPOA commission head emphasized that "the only subject of�negotiations between�the Islamic Republic of�Iran and the three European signatories of�the JCPOA is how ready they are to�guarantee the fulfilment of�their obligations under�the agreement, and guarantee compensation to�Iran for�the damage Tehran will incur due to�US sanctions."


Naghavi-Hosseini, who also serves as�spokesman for�the Iranian parliament's National security and Foreign Policy Commission, noted that there would not be any JCPOA 2.

"If the [Western European] signatory countries are ready to�provide guarantees, the JCPOA will be implemented. Otherwise, the Iranian government will have to�implement the law adopted by�the parliament; but�we will not conduct any new negotiations on�any 'new JCPOA' with�the US and the Europeans. We've already held negotiations once, an international agreement was reached; therefore, everyone is obliged to�fulfill their obligations under�this document. If this doesn't happen, what would be the point of�any more negotiations?"
Hossein Sheikholislam, who served as�a key advisor to�Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif during�the most difficult moments of�the JCPOA talks, echoed Naghavi-Hosseini's sentiment. "France's unilateral initiative is just a product of�its imagination. In reality, Iran will never go beyond�the format of�the negotiations it conducted with�the 5+1 group. There will be no other talks," he stressed.


Hidden Support for�Trump?

Alexander Azadegan, geopolitics professor and editor-in-chief of�the ImperiaNews website, told Sputnik that France's 'new JCPOA' initiative looks less like�an attempt to�save the Iran deal and more like�an effort to�show solidarity with�Washington. The departure of�French companies from�the Iranian market is a vivid example of�this, he said.

"Let's take Peugeot, which has already betrayed the JCPOA. According to�an official statement by�Groupe PSA, which owns Peugeot, Citroen and DS, the activity of�all the brands of�this group will be suspended in�Iran beginning August 6, 2018. Obviously, the purpose of�this demarche is to�support the sanctions the US government is introducing," Azadegan explained.
Today, the observer noted, "all political circles in�Iran, from�the conservatives to�the reformists, understand perfectly well that the main idea of�the US and its partners, like�France, is to�put Iran in�a new round�of talks, which has the goal of�regime change in�the Islamic Republic, similarly to�how this happened in�some Middle Eastern countries. But Iran will never accept this."


Europe, Azadegan added, is now trying to "buy time" for�the JCPOA, to�hobnob with�Tehran while avoiding harsh US sanctions, and to�drag Iran into�an "economic trap" through�the withdrawal of�its companies from�the Iranian market. "But Iran will never allow its security and territorial integrity to�be compromised," he said. In this sense, Azadegan noted that Paris's initiative for�a new JCPOA looks foolish, and more like�a PR move for�the public than�realistic policy.

French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a 'new Iran nuclear deal' to�President Trump shortly before�the latter unilaterally withdrew the United States from�the JCPOA agreement last month. The new deal reportedly talked of�curbing Iran's "regional ambitions," as�well as�its ballistic missile program. Tehran has vehemently rejected all proposals for�new negotiations.