Macron: If Iran Pulls Out From Nuke Deal, US Would Be Responsible

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that Washington would be responsible if Iranian authorities abandon the nuclear deal.

"Firstly, Iran did not withdraw this deal. Secondly, if Iran withdraws from this deal, it will be the responsibility of the United States. We will not mix the roles and say that it's the Europeans," the French leader said at a press conference following the informal summit of EU leaders in the Romanian city of Sibiu.

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Macron's remark follows the Russian Foreign Ministry's announcement made earlier in the day that the United States must terminate any activities that hamper political and economic cooperation of other countries with Iran. This statement was made shortly after EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini noted that the European Union remains committed to the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal signed with Iran in 2015, as long as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms that Tehran acts in accordance with the deal.

A year after the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran announced on Wednesday that it had partially discontinued its commitments under the deal and gave Europe 60 days to ensure Iran's interests were protected under the agreement. Otherwise, Tehran is ready to take further steps on scrapping the JCPOA. 

On the same day, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Iranian metals including iron, steel, aluminium and copper.

On 8 May 2018, Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reinstate wide-ranging sanctions on Tehran, including secondary sanctions targeting businesses and financial institutions of countries that have commercial relations with the Islamic Republic. Iran, China, Germany, France, Russia, the UK and EU reaffirmed their commitment to the deal after the United States exited.