Britain, France, and Germany to Maintain Sanctions on Iran’s Nuclear Program and Missile Development
VIENNA (AP) — In a joint statement on Thursday, Britain, France, and Germany, collectively known as the E3, confirmed their decision to extend sanctions on Iran pertaining to its nuclear program and the development of ballistic missiles. The sanctions, which were set to expire in October as per the terms of the defunct nuclear deal, will remain in place indefinitely.
The E3, who played a crucial role in negotiating the nuclear agreement, stated that the decision to retain the sanctions was a direct response to Iran’s repeated and significant non-compliance with the accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The measures prohibit Iran from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons and prohibit the sale, purchase, or transfer of drones and missiles to and from Iran. Additionally, the sanctions include freezing the assets of individuals and entities involved in Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program.
Iran has consistently violated the sanctions by testing and developing ballistic missiles, as well as sending drones to Russia to support its military actions in Ukraine.
The E3 emphasized that the sanctions will only be lifted once Iran achieves full compliance with the nuclear deal. The original accord, signed in 2015, aimed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons by restricting its uranium enrichment capabilities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
However, in 2018, former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement, claiming the need for a stronger deal. Subsequently, Iran began breaching the terms of the deal in 2019 and is currently enriching uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels, according to a report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog.
Formal talks to revive the deal collapsed in August 2022, adding to the existing tensions between the involved parties.
The E3 have communicated their decision to the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who subsequently shared it with the other signatories of the 2015 deal — China, Russia, and Iran.
The timing of the E3’s announcement coincides with a critical moment in ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran. The U.S. is finalizing a prisoner swap with Iran that includes the release of frozen Iranian assets worth $6 billion held in South Korean banks.
The Iranian mission to the United Nations has not yet responded to the development.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated that the United States is working closely with its European allies, including the E3, to address Iran’s continued threat with a range of tools at their disposal.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes and denies pursuing nuclear weapons. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has warned that Tehran possesses enough enriched uranium for the production of multiple nuclear bombs.
According to the terms of the nuclear deal, a United Nations arms embargo on Iran will expire on October 18. Following this expiration, countries like Russia and possibly China, who do not adopt similar unilateral sanctions, will no longer be bound by the U.N. restrictions on Iran.
However, there have been recent indications of a possible de-escalation as Iran has slowed down its uranium enrichment process, potentially signaling a willingness to ease tensions with the U.S.
Commenting on the European decision, Henry Rome, an analyst with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, stated that it makes sense given the broader de-escalation efforts underway. However, he cautioned that Iran’s reaction remains uncertain.
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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.