European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has said that the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, is a “good” and “robust” agreement.

“The Iran deal is a good and robust agreement that serves the interests of all parties,” she said in a statement to NBC News.

“It is not an agreement between two countries — it is a commitment undertaken by the entire international community on one side and Iran on the other, supported by a resolution of the UN Security Council,” she said.

Iran, the European Union, Germany and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council including the U.S. signed the nuclear deal on July 14, 2015.

On July 20, 2015, the UN Security Council turned the JCPOA into international law by endorsing a resolution, setting the stage for the lifting of the Security Council sanctions against Iran.

The nuclear agreement went into effect in January 2016.

On September 5, U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley laid out a case for President Donald Trump to step back from the nuclear deal, arguing that Iran’s technical compliance alone isn’t enough for the U.S. to stick with the pact.

Trump levelled sharp criticism at the agreement many a time during his election race calling it “the worst deal ever”. On Thursday Trump again ramped up its rhetoric on the nuclear agreement, saying, "You'll see what I'm going to be doing very shortly in October."

Trump is expected to recertify Iran’s compliance to the deal before October 15 as required by the U.S. law. “De-certification” would start a 60-day clock for Congress to decide whether to re-impose U.S. sanctions on Iran. 

The European Union has said even if Trump withdraws the U.S. from the JCPOA it will remain in the deal.

In an indirect reference to the United States on Sunday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, threatened that Iran will respond if the any “wrong move” is taken against the JCPOA.
 
NA/PA