France, Britain, Germany to Trigger JCPOA Dispute Mechanism: Diplomats
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – France, Britain and Germany plan to trigger on Tuesday the dispute mechanism in the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, two European diplomats said on Tuesday.
Iran on January 5 announced its decision to take the fifth and final step in reducing commitment under the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) following the EU’s inaction to honor its obligations under the deal.
The diplomats said the Tuesday decision was aimed at “saving the deal” by discussing with Iran what it should do to reverse decisions it had made. The aim was not to reimpose UN sanctions, they said, Reuters reported.
The three powers will inform the European Union on Tuesday they plan to trigger the mechanism, the sources said.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is expected to make a statement in Strasbourg at the European Parliament at midday.
“At one point we have to show our credibility,” said one diplomat referring to Iran’s recent nuclear decisions.
“Our intention is not to restore sanctions, but to resolve our differences through the very mechanism that was created in the deal,” a second diplomat said.
In May 2018, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA.
Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the JCPOA after the US withdrawal, but the three EU parties to the deal (France, Britain, and Germany) have failed to ensure Iran’s economic interests.
The EU’s inaction forced Tehran to stop honoring certain commitments to the nuclear deal.
Iran maintains that the new measures are not designed to harm the JCPOA but to save the accord by creating a balance in the commitments.