Europe could breach Iran nuclear deal over drone sales to Russia

The European signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal will breach the accord for the first time, by refusing to lift sanctions on Tehran's missile use, including Tehran's sale of drones to Russia. 

The original deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), included a series of so-called ‘sunset clauses’, entailing the lifting of sanctions by signatories on Tehran and its formal entities by 1 October.

The UK, France and Germany will likely keep sanctions on Tehran in place after this date due to Iran's sale of drones to Russia and the possible export of missile technology to Moscow, diplomatic sources told The Guardian, which all contravene the accord.

Such a move would effectively lead to an abandonment of the accord, as the US holds talks with Iran regarding controls on its nuclear technology.

The sanctions on missiles within the JCPOA were aimed at stopping the Iranian regime from producing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons, but they also banned the sale or transfer of long-flight military drones to or from Iran. 

Iran has since breached both of these stipulations. 

Former US President Donald Trump controversially pulled Washington out of the Obama-brokered JCPOA in 2018. The UK, France and Germany remained within the accord, despite Iran responding to the US withdrawal by breaching the agreed limits on the quality and quantity of permissible enriched uranium. 

Kheibar: Iran unveils new-generation ballistic missile with 2,000 km range https://t.co/hzMDLQMJuY pic.twitter.com/9QaSMMfXQY

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) May 25, 2023

Iranian enrichment growing 'very fast'

The head of the UN’s nuclear weapons inspectorate, Rafael Grossi, admitted last week that Iran has failed to implement its nuclear-related commitments since February 2021, saying earlier last month that Tehran's inventory of enriched uranium was "growing at a very fast pace".

The potential move by the European powers comes amid reports of talks between the US and Iran in Oman, centred around an informal bilateral agreement where Iran would halt its enrichment of uranium at 60 percent, in exchange for the US releasing billions in frozen funds.