Despite US comments France reaffirms support for Iran nuke accord

PARIS, Feb 15 (KUNA) -- Despite US critical comments at the Warsaw Conference held Friday on Iran, France reaffirmed the same day its attachment to the Iran nuclear accord, agreed by major powers and Tehran in 2015.
The United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany (P5+1) agreed in Vienna, Austria, four years ago to ease economic pressure on Iran in exchange for that country halting any programmes to develop a nuclear weapon.
The US has subsequently withdrawn from the accord but France and the other four signatory nations say they will respect the accord as long as Iran honours its obligations in the nuclear area.
The French Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the nuclear accord was backed by UN resolution 2231 and that this was the basis for the deal, "as long as Iran respects all of its nuclear obligations." The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says that its inspections in Iran show Tehran is keeping its side of the deal.
At the same time, France has been outspoken about the need for Iran to curb its ballistic missile programmes and halt testing missiles that could have dual purpose applications, both for conventional and non-conventional warheads.
"France, with its (European E3) partners Germany and Britain, supports an approach that includes the long-term management of the Iranian nuclear programme, the limitation of its ballistic programme and its destabilising regional activities," the Foreign Ministry statement said.
It noted that the EU has agreed on a global and balanced approach to Iran.
Since the US withdrawal, American sanctions are again being put in place, with a threat from Washington that other nationsآ’ companies could be targeted for doing business with Tehran.
A number of French companies - among them Total oil giant and Renault automobile-maker - have already decided to cease doing business in Iran for fear of US retaliatory measures.
But the European signatories of the Vienna Accord are working on alternate systems to be able to do business in Iran, notable through the INSTEX system for trade transactions that can be executed without using the US dollar, in particular.
Paris noted that this alternate system is "in conformity with European Union law and UN resolution 2231." (end) jk.bs