French Defense Minister Florence Parly has said that France wants to keep the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint comprehensive Plan of Action, alive.

Parly told BFM TV/RMC radio that the agreement to control Iran’s nuclear activities had been undermined for several months, according to Reuters.

She said that France, Britain and Germany, the European signatories to the deal, were doing all they could to keep it alive by putting together initiatives to help Iran’s economy despite tough U.S. sanctions.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) issued a statement on Wednesday announcing that Iran will stop implementing some parts of its commitments under the nuclear accord.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran upholds its rights under articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA and will stop implementing some parts of its obligation under the JCPOA from today, May 8, 2019, in line with protecting the Iranian people’s security and national interests,” the statement said.

According to the statement, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has informed leaders of the remaining countries to the nuclear deal of Tehran’s decision.

The JCPOA was signed in July 2015 between Iran, the U.S., France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China. However, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the deal last year and ordered toughest ever sanctions against Iran.

In its policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran, the United States announced on April 22 that if any country buys oil from Iran from May 1 will be subject to sanctions.

NA/PA