EU to chair Iran nuclear joint commission meeting

The joint commission on the Iran nuclear agreement will meet in Vienna on September 1, the European Union has said, after the U.S. and its European allies sparred over Washington’s bid to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran.

The Joint Commission will be chaired on behalf of EU High Representative Josep Borrell by EEAS Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid and will be attended by representatives of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and Iran.

RFERL reports that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on August 20 formally launched the process of activating a mechanism aimed at reimposing UN sanctions on Iran, citing Iranian violations of the 2015 nuclear deal, which Washington exited in 2018.

France, Germany, and Britain said they cannot support the U.S. move, as it is incompatible with efforts to support the Iran nuclear deal.

“In order to preserve the agreement, we urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with its nuclear commitments and return to full compliance without delay,” the three said in a joint statement on August 20.

RFERL / EU