Nuclear and sanctions, continuing escalation between the US and Iran. Europe tries to mediate

Tehran is ready to return to the pre-agreement situation, with an acceleration on atomic production.  Rouhani holds the door of dialogue open.  Pompeo confirms the hard line.  For the former British ambassador to the United States, Trump has canceled the Jcpoa out of "diplomatic spite" towards Obama.

Tehran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The tug of war between Washington and Tehran around the nuclear issue continues, while European nations try to open a new mediation channel to stem an escalation of tension that appears unstoppable.  

This morning the Iranian spokesman of the atomic agency Behrouz Kamalvandi said that the country is ready to return to the situation prior to the agreement, if Europe does not respect its obligations in support of the Iranian economy.

Tehran does not seem willing to give additional time to the diplomacy of London and Brussels, which so far have failed to guarantee the economic benefits in the face of the tightening of sanctions imposed by the United States. 

Nevertheless, the leaders of the Islamic Republic - in particular the dialoguing faction headed by the government, as opposed to the hard line of the ayatollahs - say they are ready for new talks with the United States, if Washington loosens its economic grip.

 US-Iranian tensions were triggered by US President Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ​​agreed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, which was followed by the toughest sanctions in history against Iran. Washington, which has its sight sets on the oil exports of the Islamic Republic has strengthened the military presence in the area.

In a TV talk to the nation, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he "We have always believed in talks ... if they lift sanctions, end the imposed economic pressure and return to the deal, we are ready to hold talks with America today, right now and anywhere".  For Tehran, the door to dialogue remains open, provided that the oil export barriers are removed, among the nation's main resources and today almost wiped out.

Washington, through Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has reiterated the hard line against Tehran after the same US president Donald Trump had announced in recent days a "substantial" increase in sanctions.  For the White House the nuclear agreement is bankrupt and cannot be the basis for negotiations with Iran.

 In this regard, new details emerged in recent days on the reasons that led the current US administration to break with the agreement.  In a memo of the former British ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, who resigned in recent days after the publication of confidential reports in London in which he described Trump as an "inept" and "dysfunctional", shows that the president withdrew for "personal reasons  ".  Behind the choice of the White House tenant there would be "an act of diplomatic vendetta" against his predecessor Barack Obama.

Today, finally, British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt meets his counterparts of France and Germany in Brussels, in the attempt to promote a common action that brings Iran in the terms foreseen by the nuclear agreement. 

In recent days, the faction headed by the ayatollahs has threatened a further exit from the agreement, if Europe does not guarantee the interests provided for in the pact.  "The nuclear deal," Hunt said, "is not dead.  There is still a small window to keep the agreement alive ", but" it is closing ".