Germany, UK, France Blame Iran for Saudi Attack, Urge New Nuclear Deal

Britain, Germany, and France backed the United States Monday by blaming Iran for the attack on Saudi oil facilities, urging Tehran to agree to new talks on its nuclear and missile programs.

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“It is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation. We support ongoing investigations to establish further details,” Britain, France, and Germany said in a joint statement. Iran responded by saying London must stop selling arms to Riyadh instead of accusing Tehran.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly, which resulted in the Europeans supporting the U.S.’ accusations.

Iran's government has dismissed the U.S.' claim that Tehran is behind the attacks, as warmongering rhetoric escalates fears of an all-out Iran-U.S. conflict reignite in the region. 

The accusation, in which no proof was presented, was rejected by Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Javad Zarif, who responded by saying Washington shifted from a failed campaign of “maximum pressure” to one of “maximum lying” and “deceit,” adding that Yemen’s situation won’t be solved by blaming Iran.

All this comes as Yemen’s Houthi forces attacked the state-run oil company Aramco’s Abqaiq plant on Sept. 14, the world’s biggest petroleum processing facility, in a strike that cut more than half the Kingdom’s output or more than five percent of global oil supply.

And despite European signatories of the nuclear deal said, just last week, they would honor it, recent events have been taken as an excuse to part ways with Tehran and join Washington’s call for a new deal. 

“The time has come for Iran to accept negotiation on a long-term framework for its nuclear program as well as on issues related to regional security, including its missiles program and other means of delivery,” the three countries added.

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between Iran and six other countries. While Germany, France, the United Kingdom, China, and Russia kept the deal, Washington pulled out of it in 2018 saying that Iran has breached it by increasing its nuclear capabilities which the country has denied. 

Since pulling out from the deal, the U.S. has been imposing stricter sanctions on Iran and its trading partners. Iran previously asked the U.S. to lift up sanctions otherwise they would continue to increase the production of enriched uranium. 

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sept. 17 that the Islamic Republic has ruled out any talks with the U.S. administration after President Donald Trump accused them. While Trump said Sunday that he has no intention of meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during the United Nations General Assembly.