Brussels

Germany, France and Britain will not remove ballistic missile and nuclear proliferation-related sanctions on Iran that were set to expire next month under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. 

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The move is set to infuriate Tehran and put the viability of the deal in jeopardy. The original deal stated that some UN sanctions were supposed to be lifted on October 18, 2023, as part of the sunset clause which would have allowed Iran to import and export ballistic missiles and drones. 

However, the three European nations, known as E3, wrote a letter to European Union External Affairs Chief, Josep Borell and said Tehran was in serious breach of the deal - meaning the sanctions could not be lifted.

"In direct response to Iran’s consistent and severe non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) commitments since 2019, the governments of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom intend to maintain nuclear proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes, after JCPOA Transition Day on 18 October 2023," a spokesperson for the three countries, known as the E3, said in a statement.

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Justifying the decision, the E3 said the agreement signed eight years ago contained mechanisms in case of any dispute about whether one side was in breach of the deal.

Iran violated the deal: EU

Borell confirmed he had received the letter from the E3 with the said proposal and transferred it to the other participants of the deal. Borell added that Iran has been in non-compliance since 2019 and the issue had not been resolved through the JCPOA dispute resolution mechanism. 

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According to a Reuters report, three major reasons cited for keeping the sanctions were: Russia using Iranian drones against Ukraine in the ongoing war; the possibility that Iran might sell ballistic missiles to Russia; and depriving Iran of the nuclear deal's benefits given Tehran has violated the accord, albeit only after the United States did so first. 

"Our commitment to finding a diplomatic solution remains. This decision does not amount to imposing additional sanctions nor to triggering the snapback mechanism. We stand ready to reverse our decision, should Iran fully implement its JCPoA commitments," the E3 said, referring to a mechanism that would immediately restore all UN sanctions against Iran.

(With inputs from agencies)

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