EU top diplomat:

Europe united in preserving JCPOA

TEHRAN (defapress) – Full implementation of Iran's nuclear deal is of strategic importance for Europe, said EU top diplomat following Monday ECFR meeting in Brussels, adding EU foreign ministers are united in preserving the accord.

News ID: 69284

Date: 20 March 2018 - 10:12

Following the European Council on Foreign Relation (ECFR) meeting in Brussels on Monday afternoon, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters that the EU called for addressing other issues, such as Iran’s missile program, as well as other regional issues through dialogue (with Iran) but not within the framework of the JCPOA.

She explicitly warned the United States that the Europeans were getting ready to preserve their interests in the agreement in the face of United States’ threats against the nuclear accord with Iran.

Stating that at the meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that took place in Vienna last Friday, all parties had agreed to fully implement the agreement,  EU top diplomat added that in the ECFR meeting on Monday, 28 European foreign ministers believed that full implementation of the nuclear deal by all parties was of strategic importance for them and was considered to be a security issue for Europe and for the rest of the world.

In response to a question regarding the deadline (May 12) on which the US president Donald Trump will decide whether to pull out from the JCPOA or not, Mogherini said the European Union worked with its own deadlines and priorities.

The EU top diplomat stated that their priority was to continue the good agreement that the IAEA had acknowledged Iran's adherence to it 10 times, adding Iran’s compliance was acknowledged at Friday meeting by all parties, including the American side.

She noted their goal was to ensure that Iran was committed to all its commitments, and the American side was also fully committed to the agreement, adding that the Europeans were willing to address other issues relating to Iran separately.