6 December 2019

The Joint Commission of the JCPoA calls to preserve the nuclear agreement

A meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) took place in Vienna on 6 December, chaired by the EEAS Secretary General Helga-Maria Schmid and attended by representatives of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China and Russia (E3+2). During the meeting, participants acknowledged “Iran’s compliance with its nuclear commitments for 14 months following the regrettable withdrawal of the United States”, but they also expressed their concerns about recent steps with regard to the implementation of these commitments. The E3+2 encouraged Iran to take the necessary steps towards full implementation of its nuclear commitments and to avoid escalatory steps. The representatives praised the efforts undertaken with regard to nuclear non-proliferation projects, including the Arak Modernisation Project, and welcomed the decision of several northern European countries to join INSTEX, a platform aimed at facilitating legitimate trade with Iran. During her last speech as HR/VP to the European Parliament, Federica Mogherini expressed the EU’s commitment to the JCPoA and the need to work to preserve the agreement as much as possible. Current HR/VP Josep Borrell has also stressed the importance of preserving the treaty. However, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has deplored the level of EU commitment to the implementation of the treaty, believing that it has failed to honour its commitments, especially after the US withdrawal. However, he welcomed the INTEX initiative.

circle graphic