Federica Mogherini, the European Union foreign policy chief, issued a statement on Friday saying that the 28-nation bloc is united in preserving the 2015 international nuclear deal.

“The European Union is acting in unity and swiftly to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the steps taken today by the European Commission are a strong confirmation of this commitment,” the statement said.

Following is full text of the statement published by the EU website:

The European Union is acting in unity and swiftly to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the steps taken today by the European Commission are a strong confirmation of this commitment. They follow the very quick action we have taken over the past days, since the announcement on 8 May of the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and of the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions. In a sequence of steps since then, I have issued a declaration on behalf of the EU, reconfirming our commitment to the continued full and effective implementation of the Agreement and our determination to work with the international community to preserve it, so long as Iran continues to respect its commitments. I have convened the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Iran, to address the implications of the announcement and to agree on a common set of lines of action and measures to put in place. I have, together with President Juncker, presented to the College of Commissioners possible measures to preserve the Agreement and protect European interests. These measures were presented the very same day to the EU leaders in Sofia who reiterated their strong commitment to the JCPOA as critical to European security. In the meantime, intensive expert discussions have been launched to arrive at practical solutions in order to maintain and deepen economic relations with Iran. 

As next steps the Joint Commission will meet in Vienna on 25 May in EU/E3 + 2 and Iran format at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers/Political Directors. The EU 28 Foreign Ministers will revert to the issue at the next Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 28 May.