The spokesperson for the European External Action Service, Peter Stano, explained on Monday 1 March that the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy remains ready to convene an informal meeting of all those involved in the Iranian nuclear agreement with the United States “in a timely manner”.
“In the meantime, we continue our commitment and our activity. Discussions are still ongoing with participants in the nuclear agreement and also with the United States; they are taking place at different levels and in different formats. We are consulting with the objective of determining how best to move forward with implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by all parties”, explained Mr Stano. He noted that the EU wanted to give diplomacy an opportunity.
The day before, Iran had rejected the idea of holding an informal meeting. “Given the recent actions and statements made by the United States and three European powers, Iran does not believe that the time has come to hold an informal meeting with these countries, something which has been proposed by the head of EU foreign policy”, explained the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Said Khatibzadeh, as quoted by the Iranian media.
France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States regretted the measures taken by Iran in opposition to its commitments under the JCPOA (see EUROPE 12662/13).
In addition, the three European countries are pushing for a resolution to be passed at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, which criticises Iran’s decision to limit its cooperation with the Agency. This Council is taking place from 1 to 5 March. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)