Germany, Russia hold talks on how to salvage Iran nuclear deal

World Today

Syria, Ukraine and Iran top the agenda at a summit in Russia. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Russia for the first time in a year to meet with President Vladimir Putin.

While the two leaders are divided on how to deal with the civil war in Syria, they are united in trying to save the Iran nuclear deal, after the U.S. pulled out.

CGTN’s Lucy Taylor has details.

Chancellor Merkel said saving the Iran nuclear deal was one area where Germany and Russia agree and that although the deal wasn’t perfect, it was better than no deal.

She said she believes that Iran will also continue to adhere to the terms of the deal because it is in its national interest.

The agreement requires Iran to limit its nuclear activities capacity and agree to regular inspections, in return for the lifting of economic sanctions.

But since President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal and reimposed strict sanctions, it puts all the other signatories in a difficult situation – because of the risk that European, Russian and Chinese companies might now find themselves on the wrong side of US sanctions, potentially jeopardizing jobs or relationships with the US.

Both the EU and Russia have said this week that they will work on separate legislation to protect their companies from the effects of U.S. sanctions but those laws are still in their early stages.

This is a topic that will likely to be picked up again next week when France’s President Emmanuel Macron arrives for talks with President Putin.