EU top diplomat reiterates preserving JCPOA

Tehran, Aug 30, IRNA – Despite challenges resulted by the US sanctions, the EU together with all partners will attempt to preserve Iran deal, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said. Federica Mogherini made the remarks in a statement on her visit with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen. “We also had the opportunity to exchange views on the work we are doing to preserve the Iran nuclear deal that reached after long negotiations here in Vienna, so we have to keep the Vienna spirit. For - again - the sake of our own security,” the statement reads. “The agreement is working, it is a challenging exercise to keep the agreement in place with the re-imposition of the US sanctions, but we are working together, including with Austria, with all our Member States, with all our partners around the world, to make sure that this continues to be the case,” it continues. The UN nuclear watchdog IAEA has on several occasions verified peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program under the JCPOA, to which Iran has remained committed since it went into force. The JCPOA stands for Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the official name of the agreement reached between Iran and world's six major powers in 2015 to give Tehran sanctions relief in return for scaling back its nuclear program. After Washington's May 8 exit from the historic Iran Deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the US gave 90 to 180 wind-down period to other countries before it starts re-imposing oil sanctions on Tehran on November 4. Part of the US illegitimate sanctions were imposed on Iran on August 9. Trump also said he would reinstate the US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose “the highest level” of economic bans on the Islamic Republic. Tehran filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the US for the latter's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 landmark nuclear deal. Tehran says the US withdrawal violates the Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights between the two countries that was signed in 1955. The treaty comprising of an introduction and 23 articles was signed in Tehran and ratified by the Iranian government of the time. The government was permitted to exchange the related documents, following ratification by the National Consultative Assembly. The Hague Court has started its hearing sessions on the case since August 27. Two sessions have so far been held at the Hague Court during which the US and Iranian officials have discussed their views on the issue. The International Court of Justice is the main judicial body of the United Nations that settles the disputes among member states according to the international law and gives advisory information on queries referred to it from the UN and specialized agencies. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish