Johnson vows not to back out of Iran deal

Foreign Secretary says UK committed to nuclear accord

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has promised that Britain will not “walk away” from the Iran nuclear deal following the dramatic withdrawal of the US from the agreement.

European diplomats were scrambling to salvage the three-year-old accord amid fears that Donald Trump’s threat to impose the “highest level” of sanctions on Tehran could trigger a new confrontation in the region.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany remained committed to the agreement. French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian insisted it was not “dead”.

In Tehran, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei voiced defiance, saying Mr Trump “cannot do a damn thing”, while legislators in the Iranian parliament burned a paper US flag.

At Prime Minister’s questions, Theresa May told MPs the European powers were working to address the concern which had led Mr Trump to pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Mr Johnson said the Government continued to believe the agreement was “vital” to UK national security.

He said it was up to the US to spell out the way forward and he urged the administration not to take any action which would hinder the efforts of the other parties to make it work.

“For as long as Iran abides by the agreement ... then Britain will remain a party to the JCPOA. Britain has no intention of walking away,” he said.

“Instead we will co-operate with the other parties to ensure that while Iran continues to restrict its nuclear programme, then its people will benefit from sanctions relief in accordance with the central bargain of the deal.”

In a statement, the International Atomic Energy Authority – the global watchdog responsible for monitoring the agreement – said “as of today” Tehran was continuing to honour its commitments.

Mr Johnson’s comments came amid fears that the reimposition of US sanctions could hit European firms – which have led the way in investing in Iran under the JCPOA – particularly hard.

Earlier Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said there was a need to “de-escalate tensions” after President Hassan Rouhani warned Iran could restart enriching uranium – a key element of a nuclear weapons programme – “without any limitations” within a matter of weeks.

With tensions already running high, Mr Burt sought to play down suggestions that the US was ready to launch an attack on Iran, possibly using “proxies” such as the Israelis or the Saudis, who also remain highly suspicious of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

He acknowledged however that the US president’s decision – despite appeals from Mrs May, French President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs Merkel – had shown the limits of European influence in Washington.

“On this issue he has not listened,” Mr Burt said.

In a joint statement, Mrs May, Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron expressed their “regret” at the US decision while emphasising their continuing commitment to the JCPOA.

The agreement with Iran was signed by the US, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain in 2015 following years of tortuous negotiations.

Picture: Getty Images. A man passes a mural painted on the wall of the former US Embassy in Tehran.

Boris Johnson, top, vowed to stick with the deal after Donald Trump backed out.