The Iran Deal is a Done Deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. EPA file…
Iran: Impossible to Renegotiate Nuclear Deal
Friday, 23 August, 2019 – 16:00
Asharq Al-Awsat
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated on Friday that “it is not possible to renegotiate” the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.
According to the ILNA news agency, Zarif said talks he held in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron about the deal were “productive.”
“France had presented some suggestions and we presented some suggestions about how to carry out (the nuclear deal) and the steps that both sides need to take,” the minister said.
“The talks were good and productive of course it depends on how the European Union can carry out the commitments within (the nuclear deal) and also the commitments that they made after (the nuclear deal) and America’s exit.”
It is not possible to renegotiate the nuclear deal, Zarif said, according to ILNA.
A British diplomatic source said Friday that Britain was unlikely to alter its approach on Iran despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson meeting US President Donald Trump.
A French official also said that the so-called “E3” major European powers of France, Britain and Germany needed to stay united on Iran.
“It’s important to keep the E3 together on Iran,” said the French official, while the British diplomatic source said the UK felt the 2015 agreement signed with Iran remained the best way to ensure Tehran did not get nuclear weapons.
Trump’s administration has abandoned that deal and stepped up sanctions on Iran.
US officials have confirmed Israel was responsible for the bombing of an Iranian weapons depot in Iraq last month.
The confirmation comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly hinted his country was behind recent airstrikes in Iraq.
“I don’t give Iran immunity anywhere,” Netanyahu said in an interview Thursday.
Asked whether that means Israel is operating in Iraq, he said: “We act in many arenas against a country that desires to annihilate us. Of course I gave the security forces a free hand and the instruction to do what is needed to thwart these plans of Iran.”
According to the Associated Press, two American officials said Israel carried out a July attack on a weapons depot – used by the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) – that also killed two Iranian military commanders.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter with reporters.
Early Friday, the New York Times, citing Israeli and US officials, reported Israel bombed an Iranian weapons depot in Iraq last month.
A senior Middle Eastern intelligence official said Israel bombed a base north of Baghdad last month, while two American officials said Israel carried out multiple strikes in Iraq in recent days, the Times reported.
PMF’s deputy commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis has been unequivocal in blaming Washington for the blasts.
But Faleh al-Fayyad, the official head of the PMF, has walked back the accusations, saying investigations were ongoing.
“Preliminary investigations” found the incidents were “an external, premeditated act,” he said.
“The investigations will continue until the responsible entities are accurately identified to be able to take the appropriate stances.”