UK, Germany reiterate commitment to Iran nuclear deal

Despite the stance of the US administration, Britain and Germany remained “firmly committed” to the Iran nuclear deal, a UK government statement said following a phone call between the heads of governments Sunday.

A statement by a spokesperson said British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a phone call “discussed Iran and President Trump’s decision not to recertify the nuclear deal.”

“They agreed the UK and Germany both remained firmly committed to the deal. They also agreed the international community needed to continue to come together to push back against Iran’s destabilising regional activity, and to explore ways of addressing concerns about Iran’s ballistic missile programme,” it added.

May and Merkel also agreed to discuss the matter further at the European Council in Brussels next week, according to the statement.

Read: Iran, EU and Russia defend nuclear deal after Trump threat

Trump on Friday laid out his new strategy for addressing what he termed Iran’s “dangerous aggression”, issuing new penalties against Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and saying he will not certify the landmark Iran nuclear deal.

The US Congress will now have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran that it lifted under the pact.

The leaders of Britain, Germany, and France previously said in a joint statement they…

…are concerned by the possible implications of Trump’s decision not to recertify the nuclear pact.

Using the acronym for the Iran deal’s formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a statement following the US announcement said Britain, Germany and, France “stand committed to the JCPoA and its full implementation by all sides” and they “encourage the US Administration and Congress to consider the implications to the security of the US and its allies before taking any steps that might undermine the JCPoA, such as re-imposing sanctions on Iran lifted under the agreement.”

They added that they share Trump’s concerns about Iran’s missile program and other regional activities.

Read: Syria condemns Trump stance on Iran deal