US welcomes EU-Iran meeting; "We are ready for countermeasures"
The United States welcomed the European Union's move to hold a meeting with Iran and emphasized that Washington is prepared to return to the nuclear deal if "countermeasures" are taken.
"We obviously welcome this step as a positive one," US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Thursday, April 1.
The European Union has announced that the remaining countries in the JCPOA, including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran, will attend a virtual meeting on Friday to discuss the United States' return to the nuclear deal.
Washington withdrew from the deal under former US President Donald Trump, but current US President Joe Biden has backed the deal. However, Mr Biden's administration has insisted that Iran must first fully comply with its commitments under the deal.
Ned Price said: "We are prepared to return to the nuclear agreement and implement our commitments in the JCPOA, if Iran reciprocates."
The US State Department spokesperson then added that Washington is discussing with its allies "the best way to achieve this objective, including by taking initial reciprocal steps."
Iran has previously insisted that the United States must first lift sanctions imposed under Trump before Tehran can fully implement its commitments under the JCPOA. Iran has been gradually withdrawing from the nuclear deal in protest of these sanctions.
According to the European Union, Friday's meeting will be chaired by Spanish diplomat Enrique Moura, deputy to Josep Borrell, Secretary-General and Political Director of the European External Action Service.
The EU statement on the meeting said: "Participants are to discuss the prospects for the United States to return to the JCPOA."
Source: Radio Farda
