Iran nuclear accord in balance as UK, France and Germany trigger dispute mechanism
- The 2015 deal – struck between Iran and six nations – aimed to curb Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief
- Iran said it would no longer comply with its obligations under the accord in the wake of the US assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani
Britain, France and Germany on Tuesday launched a dispute mechanism against Iran for breaking its commitments under the 2015 nuclear accord, which could ultimately lead to revived sanctions against Tehran.
The accord – curbing Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon in return for sweeping sanctions relief – was struck in 2015 between Iran and six key nations. It has been in jeopardy ever since the United States announced its unilateral withdrawal from the deal in 2018 and reimposed stringent economic sanctions.
Iran said last week that it would no longer comply with its obligations under the deal in the wake of the US assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
“We have therefore been left with no choice, given Iran’s actions, but to register today our concerns that Iran is not meeting its commitments under the JCPOA and to refer this matter to the Joint Commission under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism,” the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany said in a statement.