Javad Zarif: Europe needs to step out of the US' shadow

Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, says Iran and Europe are making tentative progress with the Nuclear Deal. But he suggested the United States was pushing its own agenda. And he questioned whether the European Union had the will to follow its instinct and continue with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or if it would blindly follow the United States.

 

Speaking to Euronews' Global Conversation, he noted that after President Donald Trump's meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, there were voices of concern in the United States about whether their leader was pursuing national interests.

Zarif said: "Even if he [Donald Trump] were pursuing American national interests, are the people of Europe prepared to accept US national interest dominating the decisionmaking process in the global economy? Are they prepared to accept this? Or are they prepared to stand against this?

He accused the US of applying psychological pressure to scupper the deal and said this had to be confronted by Europe.

On Syria, Zarif said Iran and Russia were making strides in helping the Syrian people. But he said Trump should take credit for supporting Daesh.

He said: "The facts that US arms, US weapons have been found in the hands of ISIS and other extremist organisations, is documented by western sources.

By Al- Helalee