European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday that the European Union will continue supporting the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

In her speech at the European Parliament, she said that the EU will continue supporting the JCPOA on the simple pragmatic reason "there is no better alternative", according to Business Standard. 

She said it is essential for the EU’s security and for the security in the region to continue implementing the agreement, and the EU would guarantee this, regardless of the U.S. withdrawal.

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA and vowed to reimpose sanctions against Iran on May 8.

Mogherini warned the U.S. withdrawing from the JCPOA and reimposing all secondary sanctions are “extremely problematic” and needed to be addressed by the EU, its member states and the rest of the international community.

Elsewhere, she noted that Iran has continued fulfilling its commitments under the deal.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has issued 11 reports each time confirming that Iran is abiding by the terms of the agreement since the 2015 nuclear agreement went into force in January 2016.

After the U.S. withdrawal, Iran wants assurances from the remaining parties that its interests are guaranteed or it will resume nuclear activities at a higher speed.

In a phone call late on Tuesday, President Hassan Rouhani told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that statements of European support for the nuclear deal “should be combined with actions and tangible measures.” 

Macron responded to Rouhani by saying that he “hoped that Iran, for its part, will fulfill its obligations under the nuclear agreement without any ambiguity,” Reuters reported.

The French president also updated his Iranian counterpart on “the progress in the work being done” from Europe’s side.

PA/PA