The European Union announced that it will continue to preserve the nuclear agreement with Iran, despite the decision by the United States to pull out of the deal. To this end, the EU will launch intensive discussions at all levels with the Islamic republic in the next few weeks.
“We are determined to ensure that the JCPOA (technical term for Iran’s nuclear deal) stays in place. We know it’s a difficult task but we are determined to do that. And we’ve started to work to put in place measures that help ensuring that this happens. This is true on the European sides, we’ve seen the same willingness and determination on the Iranian side,” EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said.
While the determination by European states to preserve the multinational deal with Iran is adamant, their aspiration to do so is challenged by Washington’s decision to reimpose crippling international sanctions on Tehran, a move that will dissuade major European corporations to follow through on business with Iran at the expense of the United States. While comments by European leaders urged for a united efforts to overcome the challenge by U.S. sanctions, the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker admitted that the EU’s means to keep the deal alive were limited.