Britain: We are working to address US concerns regarding the JCPOA

Britain announced on Thursday that it is cooperating with its partners to address US concerns regarding the nuclear agreement signed between Iran and major powers. An official from the country also added that Tehran must simultaneously avoid actions that threaten regional security. According to Reuters, Alistair Burt, the UK Minister of State for Middle East Affairs, speaking at the 'Euromoney Iran' conference in Paris on Thursday, February 8, referred to the JCPOA and said: 'Our position and that of our European partners is very clear. We want this agreement to be successfully implemented.' He added, 'We do not want to see the JCPOA decay and we are working with our European partners to alleviate any concerns that the United States may have and to ensure the continuation of the JCPOA.' Iran and six global powers, including the US, Russia, China, France, Britain, and Germany, reached an agreement in July 2015 to resolve Iran's nuclear program and lift international sanctions against it. Under this framework, Iran agreed to halt many of its nuclear activities. Donald Trump, the US President, has called the nuclear agreement with Iran the 'worst' deal and has demanded its revision. Trump has also stated that Iran has not been faithful to the spirit of the JCPOA by continuing its missile program and what he describes as destabilizing activities in the Middle East. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, said on Monday that Trump is trying to 'find ways' to destroy the JCPOA. Zarif rejected the US request for renegotiation on the JCPOA, stating that the JCPOA is an agreement within the framework of non-agreement in other areas and that this cannot be suddenly changed. Earlier in February, Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, after meeting with Theresa May, the Prime Minister, Mark Sedwill, the National Security Adviser, and Boris Johnson, the UK Foreign Secretary, announced that they agreed to form a working group of experts to address 'flaws' in the nuclear agreement between Iran and the six world powers. The US Secretary of State, after meeting with his British counterpart, stated: 'I think the European troika has a common viewpoint that there are certain areas (in the nuclear agreement) or certain behaviors of Iran that need to be addressed.' The European troika includes Britain, France, and Germany, which, along with the US, China, and Russia, were negotiating with the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding its nuclear program. Simultaneous discussions between the US Secretary of State and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian regarding changes to the JCPOA have not been welcomed by the French side.