Germany, France, Britain urge US not to hinder implementation of Iran nuclear deal

BERLIN - Germany, France and Britain have called on the United States not to hinder the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal by other parties and encouraged Iran to respond with caution to Washington's withdrawal from the deal.

According to a joint statement issued by the German federal government Wednesday morning, the three countries, with regret and concern, acknowledged US President Donald Trump's decision of withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran nuclear deal.

"We emphasize that we remain committed to the agreement," said the joint statement, adding that the deal, which was unanimously endorsed by the United Nations (UN) Security Council in a resolution, is still important for common security and remains the binding international legal framework for settling the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

"We call on all sides to adhere to the full implementation of the resolution and call on all parties concerned to act in the awareness of their responsibilities," the three countries said.

According to the statement, Iran continues to abide by the restrictions imposed by the deal and the obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Therefore, the three major European countries will also stick to the JCPOA and remain committed to advocating the preservation of the deal and will work with all remaining parties to ensure that the deal is preserved.

"We call on the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA remain intact and not to take measures that hinder the full implementation of the agreement by the other parties," said the three countries.

Germany, France and Britain also said that they have encouraged Iran to respond with caution to the US decision, urging Tehran to continue to fulfill its own obligations under the deal and fully and promptly comply with inspection requirements.

It is necessary to develop a long-term framework for Iran's nuclear program after the expiry of certain provisions of the JCPOA, according to the statement.