A spokesman for the British Foreign Ministry said his country underlined the importance of maintaining the nuclear deal with Tehran to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear-armed state, but rejects its destabilizing activities in the region, particularly in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
The spokesman stated that the United Kingdom's stance regarding the Iranian nuclear deal is clear. It is an important agreement that makes the world a safer place by neutralizing the threat posed by a nuclear-armed Iran, the spokesman told Asharq Al-Awsat, noting that the JPOA was being implemented, as expressed by successive reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Asked if the agreement would remain in force if US President Donald Trump executed his threat to withdraw from it by May 12, the British official said consultations were underway with all partners, following Trump’s speech on Jan. 12, stressing efforts to maintain the success of the JPOA.
The spokesman underlined, on the other hand, that Britain’s adherence to the nuclear agreement was not at the expense of ignoring Iran’s actions that he described as “destabilizing” in the region, from Iraq to Syria all the way to Yemen.
He noted in this regard that Britain had clearly expressed its deep concern over Iran’s threatening behavior in the region, including the proliferation of ballistic missiles.
“We have conveyed this concern to the Iranian government at the highest levels, including during the visit of Foreign Minister Boris Johnson to Tehran in December, and to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi when he was here in London in February, and during the European quadripartite meeting (Britain, Germany, France and Italy) with Iran in Munich also in February,” the spokesman said.
He also said that Britain strongly condemned Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia in July, November, December and lately on March 26.
