US Pressed E3 Group to Force Iran to Follow Nuclear Agreement

The "E3" group (France, Britain and Germany) urged Iran to return to the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal agreed with world powers, after the Persian nation announced on Sunday, that it would abandon limitations on enriching uranium; same action Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018.

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Iran will no longer meet the limits set forth in the pact on the amount of uranium enrichment centrifuges that it could use, which means that from now on it will enrich uranium only based on its technical needs.

At the same time, Teheran stressed that it will return to fulfill the nuclear agreement only on the condition that the US lift the sanctions against their nation.

E3 emphasized the importance of de-escalating tensions with Middle East countries and reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the fight against the Islamic State, which remains a priority. “It is essential that we keep the coalition, in this regard. We call on Iraqi authorities to continue to supply the necessary support to the coalition," the group expressed through a statement on Monday.

Donald Trump's threat of sanctions on Iraq was "not very helpful", Heiko Maas. German Foreign Minister said on Monday, referring to Washington's threats of imposing sanctions "like they've never seen before" on Baghdad this time.

Maas said Germany, the United Kingdom and France would discuss the Iran nuclear deal on Monday and would react this week to Tehran's recent announcements.

"Europe now has an important role in view of the menacing escalation of the conflict between the United States and Iran," Maas expressed in a statement on Sunday. EU foreign ministers should "quickly agree on a common approach", he added.

Europe under siege too

However, in a turn of events, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauet has confirmed that Washington pressured Berlin, Paris and London to accuse Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear agreement, threatening to impose auto tariffs on them if they didn't.

"This expression or threat, as you please, exists," Kramp-Karrenbauet said at a press conference during her visit in the British capital.

The Washington Post reported that unidentified European officials revealed that the Trump administration had threatened to impose a 25% tariff on European car imports if the United Kingdom, France and Germany did not formally accuse Iran of violating the Comprehensive Joint Action Plan (JCPOA).

In response to the publication, Iran's Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, accused Europe of giving in to the "thug" and betraying the JCPOA. "This will not work, my friends. You just excite his appetite. Remember your high school bully? If you want to sell your integrity, go ahead. But don't assume a moral/legal authority; you don't have it," Zarif wrote in his Twitter account.