Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a weekly cabinet session in Tehran on Wednesday, Zarif said he had been informed during last week’s trips to Brussels and Geneva that Europe has made the final arrangements for the SPV and the financial mechanism will be established in the near future.
Considering that the US seeks to get information about and hinder any development that is in favor of Iran, the Europeans are handling the process of establishment of the SPV confidentially until achievement of the final result, Zarif said, adding that Europe itself is pressing ahead with the process and will make announcements after reaching results.
EU countries led by France, Germany and Britain -signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal- want to enable non-US trade with Iran to continue in defiance of Washington.
The EU has devised the SPV, a financial mechanism, to continue trade with Iran and neutralize the US sanctions against Tehran.
On May 8, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in Vienna in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
Elsewhere in his comments, Zarif once again rejected the allegations raised by US officials that Iran’s missile program violates the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, reiterating that Iran’s missiles have pin-point accuracy and have been designed for conventional purposes.
“We have basically no nuclear weapon program, and do not design any missile for carrying nukes either,” the Iranian minister added.
Asked about Iran’s stance on the presence of US warships in the Persian Gulf, Zarif said foreign military presence in the Persian Gulf disrupts its security and would be in favor of nobody.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran vigorously defends its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of its waters, and our Armed Forces have such a capability,” he went on to say.
