European External Action Service : EU committed to full implementation of nuclear deal, the High Representative after EU/E3 and Iran meeting

The European Union remains committed to support the full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal, said the High Representative Federica Mogherini following an EU/E3 and Iran meeting today on the implementation of the JCPOA attended by the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, United Kingdom and Iran.

The agreement, Mogherini said, has allowed for deeper cooperation and continuous dialogue with Iran on all issues. The EU is committed to make sure that the lifting of nuclear related sanctions has a positive impact on trade and economic relations with Iran, including benefits for the Iranian people.

'While we have expressed concerns related to other issues, such as development of ballistic missiles and increasing tensions in the region, these issues are outside the scope of the nuclear agreement and are and will be addressed in the relevant formats and fora', said the High Representative. Internal recent events in Iran were also discussed.

The focus of the meeting with the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, United Kingdom and Iran has been on the ongoing work to ensure the full and continued implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], the nuclear deal with Iran, by all parties.

'The deal is working; it is delivering on its main goal, which means keeping the Iranian nuclear programme in check and under close surveillance,' the High Representative said.

The 28 European Union Member States' Ministers have expressed a clear position on the nuclear deal in October last year. In a joint statement, the Member States said that the JCPOA - 'the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy facilitated by the EU' - was 'a key element of the nuclear non-proliferation global architecture and crucial for the security of the region'.

'It is crucial for the security of the region, but also for the security of Europe. It is in our key strategic security interest as Europeans,' the High Representative said today.

'The European Union remains committed to support the full and effective implementation of the agreement, including to make sure that the lifting of nuclear related sanctions has a positive impact on trade and economic relations with Iran, including benefits for the Iranian people,' Mogherini said.

The nuclear agreement is a multilateral agreement endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] has confirmed in nine reports that Iran is fully complying with the commitments made under the agreement.

'The unity of the international community is essential to preserve a deal that is working, that is making the world safer and that is preventing a potential nuclear arms race in the region. And we expect all parties to continue to fully implement this agreement,' Mogherini concluded.