US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a virtual meeting Thursday with the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany, and France, known as the E3, to discuss Iran and the nuclear deal.
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The leaders agreed that Tehran's decision to limit the International Atomic Energy Agency's access to its nuclear sites is a "dangerous step" and called on the regime to weigh the consequences of such a decision, especially at a time of a renewed diplomatic opportunity. They also warned Iran not to take any additional steps in developing its nuclear capabilities.
E3 ministers expressed their concerns over Iran's most recent production of uranium enriched up to 20%.
"These activities have no credible civil justification," the US Department of State published in a release after the meeting. "Uranium metal production is a key step in the development of a nuclear weapon," it said.
The statement also said that Washington is open to resuming negotiations with Tehran about rejoining the original 2015 nuclear agreement. The US withdrew from the deal under the Trump administration in 2018.
The diplomats pledged to uphold the nuclear non-proliferation regime and ensure that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. "The JCPOA was a key achievement of multilateral diplomacy," the statement said.
"The E3 welcomed the United States' stated intention to return to diplomacy with Iran as well as the resumption of a confident and in-depth dialogue between the E3 and the United States." The leaders confirmed a strong interest in continuing to cooperate.
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