The European Union has agreed 18 million in development aid to Tehran as the 28-nation bloc steps up efforts to blunt the impact of returning American sanctions against Iran and keep it in the multilateral 2015 nuclear deal.
The measure was announced in a statement on Thursday by the EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, who once again reaffirmed Europe’s commitment to joint efforts with Iran to keep the nuclear deal alive without the US.
Washington in May went against international calls and unilaterally scrapped the nuclear agreement, announcing that it would re-impose the anti-Iran sanctions that were lifted under the multilateral accord.
Denouncing the White House’s hostile move, Iran’s other partners to the deal — France, the UK, Germany, Russia and China — vowed efforts to protect the agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The EU is currently working to maintain trade ties with Iran. Tehran says it will stay in the deal only if it is able to reap the economic benefits of the sanctions relief under the JCPOA.
Thursday’s aid offer to Iran is part of a broader package of 50 million euros earmarked for Tehran in the EU budget.
Source: Press TV
