BRITAIN, FRANCE, GERMANY LAUNCH NUCLEAR DEAL DISPUTE AGAINST IRAN
Britain, France and Germany said on Tuesday they are launching a dispute mechanism against Iran for breaking its commitments under the 2015 nuclear accord, which could ultimately lead to revived sanctions against Tehran.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as it is formally known, was agreed in 2015 between Iran and world powers. It has been in jeopardy ever since the United States announced its unilateral withdrawal from the deal in 2018.
Iran announced last week that it would no longer comply with its obligations under the deal, following the US assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. “We have therefore been left with no choice, given Iran’s actions, but to register today our concerns that Iran is not meeting its commitments under the JCPOA and to refer this matter to the Joint Commission under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism,” a statement from the ministers of Britain, France and Germany said.
The multi-stage process could ultimately allow countries to cease implementing the JCPOA, which would mean the reimposition of sanctions and UN Security Council notification.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas was quick to stress his country’s commitment to the nuclear agreement.
“Our goal is clear: We want to preserve the accord and come to a diplomatic solution within the parameters of the agreement,” he wrote on Twitter.
“We call on Iran to participate constructively in the negotiation process that is now beginning,” he added.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on all parties to the nuclear deal to show “good faith” in addressing Tehran’s non-compliance. “The dispute resolution mechanism requires intensive efforts in good faith by all. As the coordinator, I expect all JCPOA participants to approach this process in that spirit,” Borrell said.
“The JCPOA is a significant achievement of sustained multilateral diplomacy following years of negotiations.
DPA, 14TH JANUARY, 2020