Moments after Mr Trump said he would abandon the pact, resisting overtures from European nations which had urged him to preserve the agreement, Prime Minister Theresa May, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron said the decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal was a matter of “regret and concern”. However, they said they remained committed to the accord.
They said: “It is with regret and concern that we, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, take note of President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA].
“Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security".
“We recall that the JCPOA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme.
“We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility.”
With the US reimposing sanctions on Iran, French president, Emmanuel Macron, said in a separate tweet of his own that “the nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake”.
