Because of Iran ... the Trump administration threatens Europe with sanctions
Merkel, Macron and Johnson
France, Britain and Germany announced on Tuesday that they have officially activated the dispute settlement mechanism stipulated in the nuclear agreement with Iran, which amounts to a formal accusation against Tehran of violating its provisions, while Iran criticized the move.
European countries said they have moved to avert a nuclear proliferation crisis, adding to an escalating confrontation in the Middle East.
Russia, another country that has signed the nuclear agreement, stated that it does not see a basis for activating the dispute settlement mechanism contained in the agreement, and Iran rejected the move as a "historic mistake."
The three countries indicated that they still wanted the success of the nuclear agreement with Iran and did not join the "maximum pressure" campaign launched by the United States, which withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed economic sanctions on Tehran.
The countries have activated what they describe as the dispute settlement mechanism in the agreement, and activating this mechanism is like formally accusing Iran of violating the terms of the agreement, while Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, criticized the move.
Iran denies that its nuclear program is aimed at making a bomb and has gradually stepped back from its obligations under the agreement since the United States withdrew from it, and says the measures taken by Washington justify these moves.