Iran wants to partially get out of the nuclear deal, to move the parties back to the negotiating table, says political analyst Ali Fatollah-Nejad in the DW-Interview.
Deutsche Welle: A year after the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, Iran will suspend some of its obligations. Why now?
Ali Fatollah-Nejad: This gradual withdrawal from the nuclear Deal is the result according to the security policy debate of the last few months. Such Considerations were reinforced after Iran has felt the effectiveness of the US sanctions very significantly. Now, in the light of the new developments of Iran has initiated this first step.
Ali Fatollah-Nejad
What is the purpose of this decision?
The goal is to put pressure on the other States signatories, in front of all the Europeans, to exercise. Iran wants them to prevail against the United States.
Can Europe come to Iran?
This question is very difficult to answer. I don’t see how the problems, as the Iranians want, can be solved, particularly in relation to the Instrument to support trade activities (INSTEX).
Further negotiations are possible?
Sooner or later it will have to come to negotiations, between Iran and the United States/the West. Until then, the bargaining chip for Iran to be restored – in the sense that Iran resumes its nuclear program and other States view this is the only way to maybe make compromises.
Iran’s President Rouhani
An advanced nuclear program, had led years ago to the United States to allow for your claim that no uranium enrichment in Iran, tasks, and thus the way for further talks paved.
What Europe can do now?
The Europeans can’t do in terms of INSTEX much. The US sanctions are in contrast to that, 10 years ago, much stronger. And that will not change in the near term, especially as the US will hardly make a compromise on this question, compared to the Europeans.
Dr. Ali Fatollah-Nejad is a political scientist and since 2017 a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Doha Center and an assistant Professor at Qatar University. He had a research stay in Germany at the German society for Foreign policy.
The Interview leads Shabnam Hein.