Envoy: Britain Supports N. Deal, Backs Business with Iran

Britain’s Ambassador Nicholas Hopton underlined his country’s support for the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, and said London is helping the British companies interested in cooperation with Tehran, AVA Diplomatic reports.

“The government in London fully supports the British firms which interact with Iran, and Britain is fully committed to the success of the nuclear deal and this position has not changed,” Hopton said on Tuesday.

“We like to witness the British and European firms to welcome trade with Iran,” he added.

“We are witnessing a steady growth in trade and contacts between the Iranian and British banks and we expect more progress too,” Hopton said.

In relevant remarks last July, the European Union (EU) announced that economic engagement with Iran has been ongoing since a multilateral nuclear deal with the country despite “existing challenges,” an apparent acknowledgement of the United States’ attempts to throw a wrench into the works.

The EU’s deputy political director, Helga Schmid, made the remark in a statement after a session of the Joint Commission monitoring the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six other countries, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Information was shared confirming that, despite existing challenges, there has been a consistent trend of economic engagement as reflected by the latest announcements of major trade and investment deals,” she said.

Schmid released the statement in her capacity as the meeting’s chair and the representative of the EU, which coordinated on behalf of Iran’s interlocutors during the negotiations that led to the deal.

Under the JCPOA signed between Iran and the six world powers (the US, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany), Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.