Why we can’t trust the EU on Iran and why Brexit Britain is better being independent

Part III on Iran’s threat – Obama’s appeasement of the rogue regime, supported by EU

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2024

Facts4EU.Org reveals the uncomfortable history leading up to the attacks on Israel

Almost nine years ago on 14 Jul 2015, Iran agreed a deal with the US, UK, China, France, Germany and the EU, and Russia, to halt its programme of nuclear development which was clearly leading to the making of nuclear bombs. In return, the countries in question agreed to lift economic sanctions against Iran.

A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Series

Part I – Summary – Why does this affect the UK and what difference has Brexit made?
Part II - The overthrow of the Shah, the new Islamic Republic, policies, state-sponsored terrorism
Part III – Nuclear threat, Obama’s appeasement (JCPOA), EU's enthusiasm, Trump's renunciation of JCPOA, UK's opportunities (This report)
Part IV - Iran’s de facto act of war directly against Israel on Sunday 14 April 2024

This deal is known as JCPOA – the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” – and the EU were heavily involved.

Here was the EU’s Foreign Secretary, meeting Iran's leader.

© Iranian TV

The story since May 2018

In May 2018 President Trump announced that the US was no longer going to be part of the deal with Iran, as his administration did not consider it to be an effective constraint on Iran’s ambitions to be a nuclear power.

President Trump re-imposed economic sanctions in November of that year.

“The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”

- President Trump, 08 May 2018

Here is how the EU’s Foreign Secretary responded, with a message to the Iranian people :-

Credit: EU Commission

“Let me conclude with a message to the Iranian citizens and leaders. To each and every one of them. Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement. It is one of the biggest achievements diplomacy has ever delivered, and we built this together. It is the demonstration that win win solutions are possible, through dialogue, engagement and perseverance. That common ground can be found, even when positions and interests differ. That respect can be a universal language.

“This deal belongs to each and every one of us. Stay true to your commitments, as we will stay true to ours. And together, with the rest of the international community, we will preserve the nuclear deal.”

- The then EU Vice-President and Foreign Secretary Mogherini, 08 May 2018

Since then the EU continued with its policy of appeasement with Iran, despite Iran’s increasing breaches. Following President Trump's withdrawal from the agreement, the EU introduced legislation to block countries from placing sanctions on trading with Iran, thereby nullifying the US move. In November 2018, Joe Biden stated it was his intention to re-introduce the deal. In the following years there have been labyrinthine and tortuous negotiations and repeated infringements by Iran, which are too complex to detail here.

The EU Foreign Secretary and the British Foreign Secretary in 2019

On Monday 15 July 2019, the EU’s Foreign Secretary, Federica Mogherini, said that none of the breaches were significant, and so they would not be triggering its dispute mechanism which could then have led to further sanctions.

On the same day in the week Ms Mogherini made her statement, the UK’s then Foreign Secretary (and contender for Prime Minister at the time, and now Chancellor) Jeremy Hunt said:

“Iran is still a good year away from developing a nuclear weapon.”

- The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, then Foreign Secretary, 15 Jul 2019

We invite readers to pause for a moment and consider that remark from the then British Foreign Secretary and now Chancellor.

Observations

Cutting though all the complicated machinations over the years, this all comes down to whether the Iranian government can be trusted. Recalling all the times UN inspectors were denied access to nuclear facilities in Iran, we simply do not trust the regime. The likes of the EU, Theresa May, Jeremy Hunt and others have in our view been far too soft.

Iran's interests were clear: they wanted their foreign assets worth hundreds of billions of dollars to be unfrozen. On many occasions they did just enough to achieve this - at least partially.

Do we believe that Iran has given up developing nuclear weapons capable of wiping Israel off the map and even of reaching London? We do not.

Iran's latest attack on Israel is ample demonstration of its intentions. It is our view that a completely different approach is required to that regime. Unfortunately we do not believe that the EU, nor the current US administration, nor the UK's FCDO have what it takes to limit in any serious way Iran from becoming a nuclear power - and an extremely dangerous one at that.

Yet another benefit of Brexit is that the UK is free to follow its own foreign policy. Whether the government of the day - of whatever hue - does this is then down to the UK.

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[ Sources: EU Commission | US State Dept | FCDO ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 20 Apr 2024

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