"As for the Iran deal, it is far from ideal but other options are even less stable," Merkel admitted. "That is why we will continue to respect this agreement," she told reporters in Beijing on Thursday after meeting China's Premier Li Keqiang.
The German chancellor, however, emphasized some EU businesses will be forced to wind down operations in Iran to avoid US sanctions. "Sanctions will likely lead some European companies to pull out of Iran," she told reporters.
Angela Merkel, who is visiting China, said it would be up to Beijing to fill in the trade vacuum after the United States announced historic, tough sanctions on Tehran over its alleged violation of a 2015 nuclear deal.
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