EU pledges continued commitment to 2015 Iran nuclear agreement

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini delivers a statement during the United Nations Conference on Afghanistan on November 28, 2018 at the UN Offices in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo by AFP)

The European Union has reiterated its strong determination to preserve the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), irrespective of a decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw from the agreement and reimpose sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

During a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the Swiss city of Geneva on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini pointed to the 2015 nuclear agreement as a key element for the global non-proliferation architecture and crucial for regional and global security.

She then underlined the need for continued full and effective implementation of the JCOPA by all parties, including the economic benefits arising from it, said a statement on the European External Action Service (EEAS) website.

Mogherini and Zarif also exchanged viewpoints on mutual cooperation between Brussels and Tehran in various areas.

The two discussed recent developments in the region, including the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

Mogherini insisted on the need for the main actors in the Middle East region to constructively engage in political solutions to the two crises. 

The senior EU official and the Iranian foreign minister also discussed the importance of full international support for the Afghan peace process, which would benefit not only the Afghan people but also people in neighboring countries, according to the EU statement.

Moreover, they had an exchange on ongoing efforts to promote Afghanistan's integration into the wider region through enhanced transport links, energy, digital and human connections with neighboring countries, including Iran. 

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi and Mogherini, in a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, agreed on the need for staying committed to the JCPOA.

“They re-affirmed their commitment to the continued full and effective implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and took stock of the latest developments in this regard,” according to a press release by the EEAS.

“They equally expressed their determination to preserve the nuclear agreement as a matter of respecting international agreements and a key pillar for the European and regional security,” it added.

During the meeting, which was held as a follow-up to the high-level seminar on international nuclear cooperation, Mogherini pointed to the continued cooperation between the EU and Iran in civil nuclear activities.

Separately on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow and Paris share “common positions” on the Iran nuclear deal, calling on the remaining signatories to the accord to preserve it.

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (R) and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov address a joint press conference at the French Foreign Ministry in Paris, France, on November 27, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

“We want the remaining parties to the plan, including Iran and the three European nations (the UK, Germany and France), to stick to their liabilities under this major document and elaborate measures that will make it possible to keep the deal afloat after the United States’ unilateral withdrawal,” Lavrov said after a meeting with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris.


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