UK’s Johnson: we should not pursue regime change in Iran

Talks to salvage the Iran nuclear deal have made a “positive start”, the country’s foreign minister has said, despite fresh sanctions imposed by the US.

“We’re not there, we’re beginning the process”, Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters after meeting his French, British and German counterparts in Brussels. “We undertook, in particular, to launch intensive expert discussions … with Iran, addressing the following issues with a view to arriving at practical solutions in the next few weeks”.

White House National Security adviser John Bolton said USA sanctions on European companies that maintain business dealings with Iran were “possible”.

Describing the deal as “hard-earned”, Mr Yi added: “I hope and believe that these visits to multiple countries will help protect Iran’s legitimate national interests and peace and stability in the region”.

US National Security Advisor John Bolton, for his part, said that after its exit from the agreement, the US would not exclude sanctions against European Union companies cooperating with Tehran.

But the 28 EU leaders are not expected to make any quick decisions during their first meeting on the matter since Trump quit the accord, highlighting how USA clout in worldwide trade and finance limits the Europeans’ scope for action.

There is little consensus in favor of Mr. Trump’s decision regarding the Iranian nuclear deal.

The United States has threatened to impose sanctions on European companies that do business with Iran, as the remaining participants in the Iran nuclear accord stiffened their resolve to keep that agreement operational.

As a private citizen, Bolton suggested in the past that the United States push for a change in Iran’s government.

European oil and gas, aviation, automotive, railways, banking and healthcare industries all jumped to sign deals in Iran as trade liberalised.

The US government has said the sanctions on Iran will go back into force from November 5.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tuesday his country will only remain in the nuclear deal “only if it can fully enjoy its benefits”.

In addition, EU leaders are expecting from the European Commission College on Wednesday to present several options and plans in the event that EU companies are sanctioned by the US.

Repudiating the result of more than a decade of diplomacy, Trump complained that the deal does not cover Iran’s ballistic missiles, its role in regional wars or what happens after the pact begins to expire in 2025.

Highlighting just how hard it will be, the U.S. Treasury announced on Tuesday more sanctions, including on Iran’s central bank governor, just minutes before the Brussels meeting was due to begin.

Iran’s Foreign Minister completed a day of talks in Brussels to consolidate European backing for the nuclear deal.

A spokesperson for May’s office said, “The Prime Minister made clear that the United Kingdom condemns the Iranian missile attacks against Israeli forces and called on Iran to refrain from any further attacks”. Now we are getting MIGA (Make Israel Great Again) as a bonus.

Yet analysts said the impact of Trump’s announcement to pull out of the deal was muted.

In the spotlight are both the national leaders and the European Commission, expected to provide a general direction of what Europe intends to do and a response to the possible U.S. sanctions.