EU's take on Iran deal mainly about ‘security interest’

By Yusuf Hatip

BRUSSELS

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the measures to preserve the landmarks of Iran nuclear deal was about a security interest, rather than the economic interests.

Speaking to media post EU's monthly Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, Mogherini said without the absence of the nuclear deal with Iran, the security of the region and of Europe "would be at stake.”

"This is why we are insisting so much on keeping this agreement in place, because we see no possible ways to have better security conditions in the region, if the agreement would be not in place any longer," she said.

Defying the U.S.’ closest European allies and most of the American political establishment, U.S. President Donald Trump on May 8 pulled the U.S. out of the landmark nuclear deal that world powers struck in 2015 with Iran.

The 2015 pact placed unprecedented restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions, but Trump has long railed against it, repeatedly calling it the "worst deal" he has ever seen.

All of the U.S.' negotiating partners -- the UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the EU -- agree that maintaining the accord is the best way to reign in Iran's nuclear program.