Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said this week that Iran must fully comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), underlining that “there can be no ‘partial’ compliance”.
After a meeting with French and German counterparts in Brussels on Monday, Mr Hunt said:”We support nuclear deal but there can be no ‘partial’ compliance. You are either on path to a nuclearised Middle East or not”.
He added: “So whilst we seek to dial down tensions on Grace 1 we also expect progress in returning to JCPOA compliance. Remember not just Europe supporting it but Russia and China too”.
Grace 1 is an Iranian-owned tanker that was seized a fortnight ago by the Royal Marines of the coast of Gibraltar.
In a joint statement, France, Germany, and the UK said: “We believe the time has come to act responsibly and seek a path to stop the escalation of tensions and resume dialogue. The risks are such that it is necessary for all stakeholders to pause and consider the possible consequences of their actions”.
The statement added: “While we continue to support the JCPOA, its continuation is contingent on Iran’s full compliance, and we strongly urge Iran to reverse its recent decisions in this regard. We will continue to explore the avenues of dialogue foreseen under the agreement to address Iran’s compliance, including through the Joint Commission of the JCPOA”.
