G7 Countries Want Diplomatic Solution To Issue Of Iran's Nuclear Program - Merkel

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th August, 2019) There has been a constructive discussion regarding Iran at the ongoing G7 summit in France with all sides advocating diplomatic solution to the issue of the Tehran nuclear program, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters on Sunday.

The issue of the agreement with Iran is one of the most salient during this summit, as the majority of G7 countries, supportive of the JCPOA, are keeping a united front against the United States, which in recent years has consistently advocated for rougher measures against the Islamic republic.

"There has been a good and constructive discussion, which has showed that everyone is united in that Iran should not get nuclear weapons and that everyone want to achieve that through negotiations," Merkel said on the sideline of the summit.

She stressed the necessity of preventing further escalation of tensions since "if no action made, there is fear, that in September Iran will continue exiting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA]."

The JCPOA was signed in 2015 by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and the European Union. It required Iran to scale back its nuclear program and severely downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief. In 2018, the United States abandoned its conciliatory policy on Iran, withdrawing from the JCPOA and hitting Iranian petroleum industries with sanctions, prompting criticism from its allies in Europe.