Europeans Underscore Full Support for Nuclear Deal

EghtesadOnline: The European parties to Iran's nuclear deal on Friday reiterated their full support for the agreement while emphasizing the need for diplomacy and dialogue in light of Tehran's decision to further cut its nuclear commitments.

News ID: ۷۴۸۴۳۷

15 September 2019

"The latest developments underline the need for diplomatic efforts toward de-escalation and resumption of dialogue," spokespersons of the High Representative of the European Union and the foreign ministries of France, Germany and Britain said in a joint statement published on the website of the European External Action Service.

London, Paris and Berlin, with support from the rest of EU, are struggling to save the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and major powers—officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—under which Tehran undertook to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

However, US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran deal in May last year, in a break from its European allies. Trump has since reinstated sweeping sanctions on the Iranian economy, according to Financial Tribune.

In response to US sanctions and Europe's failure to offset the impact of Washington's exit, Iran has been surpassing the limits it imposed on its atomic activities in three-month phases.

Iran already has gone beyond the stockpile and enrichment level limits set by the deal, while stressing it could quickly revert back to the terms of the accord if Europe could guarantee Tehran's economic interests.

Tehran recently said it would exceed the deal's limits on research and development, including on advanced centrifuges.

The statement noted that the European parties are concerned by the risk that JCPOA could further unravel under the strain of sanctions imposed by the United States since May 2018 and following Iran's decisions to no longer implement several provisions of the agreement.

Full Support

The EU and European signatories reiterated that they continue to "fully support" the nuclear agreement.

They called on the Islamic Republic to reverse its recent measures and refrain from any further steps toward reducing its compliance with the nuclear deal.

The statement also urged Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency on all relevant issues, including safeguards. It reiterated the European governments' support for the work of the UN nuclear watchdog and recalled their confidence in the "impartial and independent way in which it monitors and verifies Iran's nuclear commitments".

IAEA Acting Director General Cornel Feruta, who visited Tehran earlier this month for talks with Iranian officials, recently told the agency's Board of Governors that "full and timely cooperation" by Iran is necessary.

Iran said its nuclear activities are completely transparent and that it is closely cooperating with IAEA inspectors.