Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Boris Johnson released a joint statement late Sunday, saying it was "essential that Iran return to full compliance with its commitments under the agreement."
The statement voiced concern over Iran’s reductions to its JCPOA commitments, saying the actions must be reversed.
The three European countries also maintained that Iran’s missile program should be addressed through what they called “diplomacy and in a meaningful way”.
"We reiterate our readiness to continue our engagement for de-escalation and stability in the region,” the statement added.
The leaders also reaffirmed their opposition to the US decision to pull out of the nuclear deal.
The accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was a deal struck between Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members — the United States, Russia, China, France and the UK — as well as Germany and the European Union.
The treaty has come under increasing strain ever since President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the deal in May 2018 and unleashed the “toughest ever” sanctions against Iran despite global criticism.
Earlier this week, the US president urged other signatories of the deal to pull out of what had remained of the JCPOA, promising to impose new economic sanctions on Tehran.
In response, Tehran has so far rowed back on its nuclear commitments five times, but stressed that it will reverse its measures as soon as Europe finds practical ways to shield mutual trade from the US sanctions.
Last week, Iran announced that it no longer observes operational limitations on its nuclear industry, including with regard to the capacity and level of uranium enrichment, the amount of enriched materials as well as research and development.
MNA/IRN83631407
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