EU Warns Excluding Experts from Iran Talks Could Worsen Nuclear Risks

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Friday that excluding nuclear experts from future U.S.-Iran negotiations could lead to a more dangerous outcome, the Associated Press (AP) reported .

Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to allow the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to monitor its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Speaking in Cyprus during a meeting of EU leaders, Kallas said any agreement crafted without proper technical expertise could be weaker than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear deal brokered under former U.S. President Barack Obama.

Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to allow the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to monitor its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement during his first term, calling it insufficient because it did not address Iran’s broader military activities.

Trump has since maintained that Iran will eventually be compelled to accept a stricter agreement that significantly curtails, or potentially eliminates, its nuclear program.