EU, China Need To Step Up, Counter Impact Of US Sanctions On Iran - Former UK Ambassador

The European Union and China have to stop making excuses and take concrete steps to alleviate the oil and financial sanctions on Iran, former United Kingdom ambassador to Syria Peter Ford told Sputnik

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th May, 2019) The European Union and China have to stop making excuses and take concrete steps to alleviate the oil and financial sanctions on Iran, former United Kingdom ambassador to Syria Peter Ford told Sputnik.

On Wednesday, Informed informed the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China and Russia of its decision to suspend some of its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear agreement.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he has given the European Union 60 days to hold negotiations with Iran.

"Iran's new move must be seen as a last chance plea to the European Union and China to take seriously Iran's dire economic plight under the cost of ever heavier of US sanctions," Ford said on Wednesday.

The JCPOA could still be saved and restored function again effectively, Ford advised.

"It is by no means too late to save the JCPOA: Iran would clearly much rather stick to the agreement. But... so far EU efforts to counter US pressure and defend the EU's own trade with Iran have been flimsy," Ford said.

The European Union needed to translate their willingness to work constructively with Iran into measures that would bring some real belief to the country's besieged economy, Ford observed.

"It is time for the European Union to realize there is no free lunch. The European Union cannot expect Iran to deliver all the benefits of the JCPOA while reaping virtually none itself," he said.

The Iranians were fighting for survival in a hostile environment and the European Union needed to recognize their urgent need for economic recovery and real cooperation, Ford noted

"The EU has to realize that this is an existential matter for Iran.

If Iran is subjected to such heavy economic bullying by the US that it has nothing left to lose then the EU can only blame itself for the consequences. The same applies to China," he said.

US policymakers in the Trump administration wanted to attack Iran but realized they were limited in their own options, Ford pointed out.

"The US hawks are itching to have an excuse to bomb Iran but dare not risk a ground operation. Iran could in retaliation easily block the Straits of Hormuz, launch rockets at Israel or attack US troops in Iraq or Syria, sending the world economy into a tailspin," he said.

It was up to Brussels and Beijing to take the practical measures which would alleviate the mounting economic pressures on Tehran and avert a dangerous crisis, Ford urged.

"To avoid these scenarios the European Union and China have to stop making excuses and take concrete steps to alleviate the oil and financial sanctions on Iran, not just facilitate feeble 'humanitarian' exceptions," Ford said.

Iranian authorities said Wednesday's measures were taken in response to violations of the JCPOA by Washington, including the revival of sanctions and by the inability of the remaining signatories to the agreement - Germany, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia - to resolve the situation.