Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says his country will remain part of the Iran nuclear deal even after Brexit and is working closely with the remaining parties to ensure that Tehran receives the sanctions relief required by the agreement.
"The UK does not intend to walk away from the JCPOA. The Iran nuclear deal is critical for our security, and we remain committed to it for as long as Iran continues to abide by the restrictions set out under the terms of the deal," he wrote in response to a letter by the chairman of the British parliament's foreign affairs committee, Tom Tugendhat, about the US decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The UK continues to work with all the remaining parties to the deal to maintain it, Johnson said, according to the text of his statement published by the UK parliament. He added that the UK will remain part of the nuclear accord after Brexit and will therefore continue to work closely with the EU in this regard.
"We expect Iran to continue to abide by its obligations and, in return, we will take necessary steps, with our European and other partners, to ensure that Iran receives the sanctions relief required by the deal," he said, drawing attention to reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency that show Iran remains in compliance with its key nuclear-related limits and obligations.
Measured Response
The official described the Iranian response to the US withdrawal as "measured", saying, "We have encouraged and continue to press Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US."
Johnson said British officials have held many intensive discussions with the US following President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA.
"We have called on the US to preserve the gains that the Iran nuclear deal has brought, avoiding actions that would prevent the remaining parties from meeting their commitments to upholding the deal."
Blocking Regulation
He said the European Commission has been asked to look into increasing the scope of the EU blocking regulation, which prohibits residents of member states, legal persons incorporated in the EU and individuals within the EU acting in a professional capacity from complying with certain US autonomous sanctions that have an extraterritorial effect.
The commission has begun the process of increasing the scope of the regulation to include those sanctions with extraterritorial effects that the US are planning on reimposing following their exit from the pact, the foreign secretary noted.
"This is part of a wider package of measures that the EU is looking at in support of the JCPOA. We recognize that there may be an impact on business from this action. We will be engaging at a national and EU level to ensure that business gets as much clarity and guidance as possible."