European Nations Warn Iran Over New Centrifuges

Statement urges Iran to preserve space for diplomacy

Britain, France, and Germany have issued a joint statement criticizing Iran for the plan to install new centrifuges in Natanz. The new centrifuges are technically in violation of the nuclear deal, and the statement warned Iran to “preserve space for diplomacy.”

Iran already made clear the new centrifuge measure is reversible. The problem is likely less that than the Guardian Council’s call to take other measures in retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist.

President Rouhani opposed the measure, saying it might harm diplomacy. The centrifuges were presented as part of this, though likely Iran was planning that either way, and Rouhani is likely trying to avoid going farther.

The European statement seemed to address that by warning Iran not to expel inspectors, something Iran probably isn’t contemplating but would be the sort of thing the Guardian Council had in mind over the assassination.

The statements seem to be more cursory than serious, with Iran trying to avoid any serious measures, and the European nations wanting to prove that they’d responded.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.