TEHRAN - In an interview with IRNA in Algiers, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs has said that Tehran will give a chance to the Europeans as it is following up on the their attempts to develop a special payment system to compensate for the U.S. exit from the Iran nuclear deal.

However, Araqchi cautioned, this opportunity is not inexhaustible and Tehran’s patience has its limits, according to the interview which was published on Friday.

Araqchi said that due to “the sensitivity of the issue,” he could not divulge information about determining the host country for the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), since the U.S. is after obstructing all possible solutions.

“They [the U.S. officials] have already started putting pressure on the countries involved in creating the SPV.”

Moreover, Araqchi referred to the serious technical and legal hitches in the way of developing the financial vehicle and the EU’s efforts to solve them. 

“So far, the European Union has not presented a practical mechanism for interactions with Iran”, he said, adding that Iran will give the chance to the European countries to do so for now.  

 ‘JCPOA dividends not limited to economy’

The deputy foreign minister stressed that Iran’s dividends of the nuclear agreement are not restricted to economic benefits, noting that the deal comprises political dividends too. 

“We will remain in the JCPOA only as far as all of our interests--economic or otherwise-- are catered to. However, we still have not reached the point to give up hope of the deal altogether.”

Araqchi said that Iranian officials believe that the nuclear deal has a large capacity to be used. 

He added so far the nuclear agreement has led to isolation of the U.S., “which is a success”, and it has led to the support of international community for Iran “which is very significant”.

In regard to other benefits of the JCPOA, Araqchi referred to lifting sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear plan, the closure of PMD (Possible Military Dimensions) case, the dismissal of previous accusations against Iran, and the elimination of United Nations Security Council resolutions which used to introduce Iran as a threat.

“There is a will in all sides to preserve the deal. However, for the JCPOA to be preserved, it is imperative that Iran’s interests and economic dividends of the deal be promoted,” he reiterated, adding that Iran is constantly negotiating with the EU, Russia, and China to reap its economic benefits from the nuclear agreement.  

 ‘Trump repeating the mistake of former presidents’ 

Noting that after forty years Iran has learnt to find its way through U.S. sanctions, Araqchi said that the previous U.S. presidents had tried sanctions, but eventually had to come to the table for negotiations. 

“Trump is making the same mistake,” he said.  

SP/PA