Iran welcomes German FM to pressure Europe on Iran deal

Iranian media appears suspicious that Germany can actually preserve the deal.

Iran welcomed German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas today in a bid to pressure the Germans to help them get what they want out of the remains of the Iran Deal. Maas has said that he is seeking to preserve the deal, after stops in Jordan and Iraq.

Photos posted on Fars News showed the German shaking hands with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif. He is meeting Zarif and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Iran wants to sell itself as standing up to the Americans. It has recently sought to portray US President Donald Trump’s policies as a failure in the region and wants to convince Europe to stand with Tehran in its current struggles with Washington.

As part of this effort, Iran has condemned recent US sanctions as a violation of international law, called the “deal of the century” a plot and sought to even stop using the dollar as an international currency of trade. Iranian media portrays Germany as a helpful link to the world. It contrasts the German position with that of France, which has appeared more close to Washington in recent comments. Fars News, for instance, says that the German Foreign Ministry’s Director General was in Tehran in May.

Overall Iranian media appears suspicious that Germany can actually preserve the deal. Press TV wondered whether Maas is merely carrying messages for the US to express “concerns.” Iran has threatened Europe that if the EU can’t come up with measures to assist Iran amid the escalation with the US and isolating sanctions, then Iran will increase uranium enrichment and begin to walk away from provisions of the deal. In addition Zarif has pointed out that the deal doesn’t prevent Iran from continuing its ballistic missile program.