Iran's Rouhani in Vienna to Shore Up Nuclear Deal, Dogged By Diplomat's Arrest

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday was on the  second leg of his European tour seeking assurances over the 2015 nuclear deal, a trip clouded by the arrest of a Tehran diplomat over an alleged bomb plot against opposition exiles in Paris.

Hoping to boost economic cooperation to help offset the return of US sanctions following Washington's pullout from the historic deal, Rouhani arrived late Tuesday in Vienna—the city where it was signed.

"Insofar as it is possible for Iran, we shall remain party to the accord, we shall not quit the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) on condition that we can also benefit from it," Rouhani said. 

"If the other signatories, apart from the United States, can guarantee Iran's interests then Iran will stay in the JCPOA", he insisted.

US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the agreement nearly two months ago, to the ire of the other signatories—China, France, Germany, Britain and Russia—which along with the European Union have continued to back the accord. 

"We need a balance between our duties and the hypothesis of restrictions.... We hope for decisive actions regarding trade and the economy," added Rouhani in comments sending a  message to the other deal signatories, whose foreign ministers are due to meet in Vienna on Friday for the first time since Trump's decision to dump the deal.

Austria just took up the European Union's six-month rotating presidency, while Vienna is the home of the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, which monitors Iran's compliance with the accord.

Rouhani's European trip will be of "prime importance" as it could "provide a more precise picture of cooperation between Iran and Europe," the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said at the weekend.

The Iranian government has itself warned that it will not continue to abide by the nuclear agreement if doing so goes against its economic interests. 

Rouhani, a moderate conservative re-elected in 2017, began meeting President Alexander Van der Bellen on Wednesday, and met Chancellor Sebastian Kurz later in the day.

'False Flag Ploy'

The nuclear deal has been the cornerstone of Rouhani's policy of greater openness with the West, and the US departure has seen him severely criticized by ultra-conservatives at home.

Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has demanded Europe provide a number of economic guarantees in order for Tehran to continue its commitment. 

Increasing the pressure on Iran's European partners, he ordered preparations be made to quickly restart nuclear activities in case talks collapse.

Rouhani's visit follows reports of the Iranian diplomat's arrest along with five others over a purported foiled attack on a rally of thousands of Iranian opposition supporters in Paris.

Rouhani has not changed his programme over what his foreign minister dismissed as a "false flag ploy" designed as a distraction.

"How convenient: Just as we embark on a presidential visit to Europe, an alleged Iranian operation and its 'plotters' arrested," Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted.

Just hours before welcoming Rouhani to Austria, Vienna summoned Iran's ambassador and announced that the unnamed diplomat's status would be withdrawn.

The diplomat attached to the Iranian embassy in Austria, who was detained in Germany, was believed to be a contact of a couple at the centre of the alleged plot.

He may soon be extradited to Belgium, which is spearheading a probe into the alleged bomb plot, prosecutors told the German news agency DPA.

"We are waiting for full clarification" on the case, Kurz said at a press conference alongside Rouhani.

Zarif, who is accompanying Rouhani, will on Friday meet top envoys from the five powers for the first time since Washington's withdrawal. 

Kurz had said he would speak plainly with Rouhani about Iran's role in the Middle East, as Tehran continues to deny accusations it is destabilizing the region.

The Austrian Chancellor said he considered it "absolutely unacceptable" to question the right of Israel to exist or call for the state's destruction.'

Photo Credit: IRNA

Iranian President Flies to Europe to Rally Support

President Hassan Rouhani departed Iran on Monday for a trip to Europe billed as of "prime importance" after the US pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

Rouhani was set to visit Switzerland and Austria as part of Tehran's ongoing efforts to secure Europe's continued support for the landmark agreement.

The Iranian president left Tehran on an early afternoon flight and was due to land in Zurich in the mid-afternoon, Iranian state media reported.

His delegation will travel on to Vienna Wednesday, according to authorities in Austria, where the historic nuclear deal was signed in July 2015. 

The trip will be an "opportunity to talk about the future of the (nuclear) agreement," Rouhani told reporters at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport before boarding his flight, state television showed.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is also scheduled to hold talks with Swiss officials in Bern.

The visit comes nearly two months after US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the agreement, to the ire of the other signatories—China, France, Germany, Britain and Russia—which along with the European Union have continued to back the accord. 

Rouhani's European trip will be of "prime importance" as it could "provide a more precise picture of cooperation between Iran and Europe," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said in comments carried by the semi-official ISNA news agency on Saturday.

Austria on Sunday took over the European Union's six-month rotating presidency, while Switzerland represents US interests in Iran owing to the absence of diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran.

Vienna, where the deal was signed, is also the home of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, which monitors Iran's compliance with the accord.

The nuclear deal has been the cornerstone of Rouhani's policy of greater openness with the West, and the US departure has seen him severely criticized by ultra-conservatives at home. 

Even before Trump's decision, Iranians had long complained that the hoped-for uptick in foreign investment after the deal had not materialized. 

Washington's decision paves the way for new US sanctions against Tehran, which will encompass businesses from third countries that continue to operate in Iran. 

A number of foreign firms have already announced they would cease their Iranian activities in light of the looming imposition of sanctions. 

Failure 'Very Dangerous'

While in Switzerland officials are due to sign agreements on economic cooperation, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.

Rouhani will meet with the Swiss president, Alain Berset, and his two-day visit will coincide with a bilateral economic forum on health and nutrition, although it was not clear whether he will attend in person.

There will be a similar focus on finances in Vienna, where the Iranian president is expected to sign memorandums on economic cooperation according to Austrian media. 

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he will speak plainly with Rouhani about Iran's role in the Middle East, as Tehran continues to deny accusations it is destabilizing the region.

Kurz will also find "clear words" to discuss the human rights situation in Iran, the chancellor told Austrian news agency APA.

The European tour is part of a broader diplomatic effort by Tehran to rally support in the wake of Trump's May 8 withdrawal from the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Last month Rouhani visited China, where he discussed the future of the nuclear deal with his Chinese and Russian counterparts on the margins of a security summit. 

Zarif meanwhile embarked on a tour of Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia.

The foreign minister on June 24 warned that failing to save the nuclear deal would be "very dangerous" for Tehran. 

But the Iranian government has also said it will not continue to abide by the agreement if doing so goes against its economic interests. 

Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has demanded Europe provide a number of economic guarantees in order for Tehran to continue its commitment. 

Increasing the pressure on Iran's European partners, he ordered preparations be made to quickly restart nuclear activities in case talks collapse.

Photo Credit: IRNA