EU will to work to save Iran nuclear deal: Borrell

Aug 22, 2020
Brussels:  Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has affirmed that the bloc will work to preserve the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after the US sought to reimpose sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

He made the remarks in a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, the EU’s external action service (EEAS) said in a statement on Friday.

Speaking to Lavrov, Borrell reaffirmed his determination to continue to work with Russia, the other remaining participants of the deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the international community to preserve the agreement, reports Xinhua news agency.

The EU’s external action service announced on Friday that a meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA will take place in Vienna, Austria on September 1, attended by delegates of China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and Iran.

Earlier on Thursday, the US sent a letter to the UN Security Council requesting to initiate the “snapback” mechanism, which allows a participant to the deal to seek the reimposition against Iran of the multilateral sanctions lifted in 2015 in accordance with Resolution 2231, adopted by the UN Security Council.

Borrell claimed in a statement on Thursday night that the US had lost ground to trigger the “snapback” mechanism as it withdrew from the agreement in 2018.

“As coordinator of the JCPOA Joint Commission I will continue to do everything possible to ensure the preservation and full implementation of the JCPOA by all,” said Borrell, underlining that the agreement remains a key pillar of the global non-proliferation architecture, contributing to regional security.

The JCPOA was inked by Iran in July 2015 with the UK, China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK, together with the EU.

US President Donald Trump, withdrew from the JCPOA on May 8, 2018, and unilaterally reimposed sanctions on Tehran, despite objections from the international community.IANS