Iran Dismisses Reuters' Claim of Exclusion of Crude Revenues from SPV Mechanism

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamamd Javad Zarif rejected Reuters' claim that the European countries may exclude his country's crude revenues from the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) mechanism which was promised by them to Tehran back in September.

"Based on the information that we have, this is not correct because if Iran's crude incomes are not deposited into an account, it is not clear if any money will remain for dealings," Zarif said on Tuesday.

In a report on Monday Reuters claimed that France and Germany are to take joint responsibility for an EU-Iran trade mechanism to minimize the risk of US sanctions but few now believe it will cover oil sale.

Zarif blasted the western media, specially Reuters, for attempts to disappoint the Iranian people, stressing that oil is the major part of Iran's exports.

The Iranian top diplomat said that Iran thinks that the European states are endeavoring to continue cooperation with Iran and protect the 2015 nuclear deal, and added, "The Europeans believe that implementation of the nuclear deal is necessary for their security and therefore, they should pay the costs for their own security and implementation of the nuclear deal."

He noted that Iran is in technical contacts with the Europeans so that the SPV mechanism can meet the country's needs to an acceptable extent and they can give practical guarantees to Iran for its implementation.

The SPV which was promised by Iran’s key European trading partners back in September after a meeting of foreign ministers of the remaining signatories to Iran nuclear on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York after the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal is supposed to keep Iran’s financial relations with Europe alive under the US sanctions.

Europeans' honesty in dealing with Iran nuclear deal of July 14, 2015 is seriously doubted by Iranian masses that are discontent with talks with European counterparts.

In contrast with what European politicians and government are stating, many experts in Iran are suspicious of Europe's genuine commitment to the letters of the nuclear agreement of July 14, 2015, and are voicing their discontent with what they describe as Europe's strategy of killing time.

Even some commentators like Seyed Mostafa Khoshchashm are calling the Iranian government to start meaningful modifications in JCPOA undertakings, and specially remove the cap on the country's enriched uranium stockpile after the US unilateral withdrawal from the agreement; a call which is gaining momentum among the Iranians.

source: FARS News Agency