TEHRAN – Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Tuesday that the European Union has been backing the nuclear deal politically but what is of utmost importance is “practical actions” by the bloc to keep the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Larijani made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran with French Senator Philippe Bonnecarrere, who heads the France-Iran friendship group in the upper house of parliament.

The parliament speaker said Iran has been committed to its obligations and Europe must take practical steps to preserve the JCPOA. 

Larijani also said that presence of the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) in France has caused a “negative mentality” of the French among the Iranians.

Bonnecarrere said that France does not support the MKO.

The MKO, who sided with Saddam Hussein during Iraq’s war against Iran in the 1980s, was removed from the list of terrorist organizations by the European Union and the United States in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

France hosts annual gathering of the MKO. Maryam Rajavi, who does not tolerate any criticism within her group, has been mockingly portraying herself as the leader of the opposition outside Iran.

‘France fully backs JCPOA’

Senator Bonnecarrere also said that France will make any effort to preserve the JCPOA.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s approach towards the JCPOA has portrayed a good image of the country in the international arena and France will use all of its possibilities to keep the agreement,” he said.

Bonnecarrere added that France is determined to expand ties and interaction with Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the nuclear agreement in May and reintroduced sanctions on Iran in August. The second wave of sanctions, which targets Iran’s oil exports and central bank, is due to start in early November.

On September 25, European Union foreign policy chief Mogherini announced that the bloc was creating a new payment mechanism to allow countries to transact with Iran while avoiding U.S. sanctions.

Mogherini’s announcement came after a meeting with foreign ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Iran on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

NA/PA