JCPOA Hailed as Best Possible Deal

The European Union's envoy to Moscow described the 2015 Iran nuclear accord with world powers as the best possible agreement, saying the EU's stance on the deal is closer to the positions of Russia and China than that of the US. In an interview with Russia's Kommersant daily on Thursday, Markus Ederer said there were no reasons to cast doubt on Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Press TV reported. The EU regrets that Washington's stance on the issue is different from that of Brussels, which is "closer" to the positions of Beijing and Moscow, said the diplomat. Last month, Russia's envoy to the EU Vladimir Chizhov warned that US President Donald Trump was blackmailing members of the European Union that are signatory to the nuclear deal. US President Donald Trump has called the agreement, which was inked under his predecessor Barack Obama, "embarrassing" for Washington. Last month, Trump signed sanctions relief for Iran for the third time, but warned EU signatories that he was giving them "a last chance" to join the US in fixing "flaws" in the deal.