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The art of keeping a deal: Can Europe save the JCPOA?

The art of keeping a deal: Can Europe save the JCPOA?
Iran Talks Vienna - June/July 2015. Photo: Flickr/ European External Action Service Follow
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SIPRI, Signalistgatan 9, Solna

More than two years since the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), there is a broad international consensus that the agreement is a landmark achievement for multilateral diplomacy and for the non-proliferation regime. At the same time, the survival of the JCPOA is increasingly in doubt because of US President Donald J. Trump’s ultimatum that, unless key ‘flaws’ in the Iran nuclear deal are fixed by May 2018, he will no longer waive nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, as required by the JCPOA, and effectively withdraw the United States from the accord. While the USA and the E3 members of the nuclear deal with Iran (Germany, France and the United Kingdom) have established a working group to address the Trump administration’s concerns, it remains unclear whether they can reach an agreement that will be acceptable to the other parties. With the diplomatic clock ticking, Europe must give urgent attention to how it can encourage the USA not to withdraw from the JCPOA, while also considering ways to sustain the Iran nuclear deal regardless of US actions.

The discussion will bring together distinguished experts from the USA, Europe and Iran to provide their insights on the current situation and to assess potential consequences for transatlantic relations as well as for regional stability in the Middle East.

The event will be live-streamed and available to view on SIPRI's Facebook and YouTube channels.

 

Introductory remarks

Ambassador Jan Eliasson, Chair of SIPRI Governing Board

Panellists 

Dr Tarja Cronberg, Distinguished Associate Fellow, SIPRI European Security Programme

Adnan Tabatabai, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO)

Suzanne DiMaggio, Director and Senior Fellow, New America Foundation

Thierry Coville, Professor of Economics, Novancia Business School, and Research Fellow at The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS)

Moderator

Dan Smith, Director of SIPRI

Registration information

The event is by invitation only.