NUCLEAR AGREEMENT – JCPOA

On 20 July 2015, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2231(2015) regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), agreed by Iran and the E3/EU+3. This resolution endorsed the JCPOA, allowed for certain exemptions to existing restrictive measures and defined the schedule and commitments to be undertaken by all parties to lead to the termination of restrictive measures against Iran.

Following legislative reviews of the JCPOA in the US and Iran, Adoption Day was declared on 18 October 2015 which set in motion the implementation of the provisions of the JCPOA. On Adoption Day the EU adopted the legislative framework allowing to lift all its nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions.

The next milestone, Implementation Day was reached on 16 January 2016 after the IAEA verified that Iran had fulfilled its commitments. On Implementation Day the EU legislative framework providing for the lifting of economic and financial nuclear-related sanctions entered into effect. UN financial nuclear-related sanctions and US secondary nuclear-related sanctions were also lifted. A comprehensive Information Note on the lifting of sanctions providing clarity to EU business operators on the new regulatory environment was issued on the same day.

The next stage foreseen by the JCPOA was supposed to be on Transition Day, eight years after Adoption Day (in 2023). Transition Day should have triggered the lifting of the remaining EU nuclear-related sanctions, ballistic missile restrictions, and related designations.

Under the JCPOA, a Joint Commission was established consisting of all members of the E3/EU+3 and Iran. The EU High Representative coordinated the work of the Joint Commission, which oversaw JCPOA implementation and addressed potential problems and disputes. Under the Joint Commission, a Procurement Working Group, a Technical Working Group, an Arak Working Group, and a Sanctions Working Group were established. All groups were coordinated by a representative of the High Representative.

On 8 May 2018, the President of the United States announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Thereafter, the United States did not participate in any JCPOA-related activities or meetings.

In view of Iran not fulfilling its commitments under the JCPOA as reported by the IAEA since 2019, the EU Council considered that the Union had valid grounds for maintaining all the restrictive measures. For more details, follow the link to the relevant press release about the EU Council's decision to 'maintain restrictive measures'. On that occasion, the EU Council adopted legal acts to maintain the designations that had initially been imposed by the United Nations Security Council for individuals and entities involved in nuclear or ballistic missiles activities or affiliated to the IRGC. The EU also decided to maintain sectoral and individual measures existing under the EU’s sanctions regime notably those related to Iran nuclear proliferation, as well as arms and missile embargoes. All EU sanctions that had been lifted under the JCPOA remained lifted.

The Council took these steps following the action by the Europeans participating in the JCPOA under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism in line with the provisions of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA. It takes into account Iran not fulfilling its commitments under the JCPOA as reported by the IAEA since 2019.

On 21 December 2020, participants of the JCPOA acknowledged at ministerial level the prospect of a return of the US to the JCPOA and underlined their readiness to positively address this in a joint effort.

The coordinator led diplomatic talks in Vienna, since April 2021, to negotiate the return of the United States to the JCPOA and to ensure once again the full and effective implementation of the agreement by all sides. The talks continued until September 2024, but, unfortunately, an agreement was not achieved.

On 28 August 2025, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom – the E3 – notified the United Nations Security Council that they believed Iran was in significant non-performance of its commitments under the JCPOA, thereby invoking the process known as the “snapback” mechanism in accordance with paragraph 11 of the UNSCR 2231.

This decision opened a 30-day period before the final re-imposition of previous lifted UN sanctions. The High Representative, together with the E3, and many international partners, had intensive diplomatic efforts with Iran ahead and during the 30-day timeframe, which unfortunately did not result in creating the conditions for a possible extension of the UNSCR 2231. 

On 28 September 2025, the UN Security Council reinstated all nuclear-related UN sanctions and restrictions against Iran that had been terminated under the UNSCR 2231. The EU, consequently, proceeded to implement the re-imposition of previously lifted UN and EU autonomous sanctions in line with Council Declaration 345/01 of October 2015.

What did the JCPOA achieve?

The JCPOA was designed to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme would be exclusively peaceful and provided for the comprehensive lifting of UN, EU and US nuclear-related sanctions.

It increased Iran's breakout time from about 2 months (before the deal) to at least 1 year.

It established a robust verification regime, implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the only impartial and independent body, with sixty years of experience in implementing safeguards around the world.

It reduced Iran’s enrichment capacity by approximately 75%; it reduced the stockpile of enriched uranium by approximately 90% and limited the level of uranium enrichment and the stockpile of enriched uranium Iran could possess (300kg at max 3,67%).

It established that the nuclear facilities of Arak and Fordow were to be repurposed in a way that they would not be able to produce weapons-grade plutonium or highly enriched uranium respectively.

It created the Procurement Channel, a significant transparency and non-proliferation mechanism, which reviewed transfers of sensitive nuclear-related items to Iran that ultimately require an approval by the UN Security Council.

The JCPOA was a robust, verifiable agreement that set a series of strict limitations on Iran's access to nuclear material and sensitive equipment. In addition, the agreement gave the IAEA unprecedented access to monitor and verify Iran's programme.

What has the EU done to implement and preserve the JCPOA?

The lifting of sanctions was an essential part of the JCPOA. The EU fulfilled all its legal obligations on 16 January 2016 (Implementation Day) when the EU legislative framework providing for the lifting of economic and financial nuclear-related sanctions entered into effect. On the same day, UN financial nuclear-related sanctions and United States secondary nuclear-related sanctions were also lifted. Sanctions imposed by the EU in view of the human rights situation in Iran, support for terrorism and other grounds were not part of the JCPOA and always remained in place.

Following the US decision to withdraw from the agreement in May 2018 and to re-impose previously lifted sanctions, the EU remained determined to continue pursuing legitimate trade with Iran.

Since July 2019 Iran took different steps to reduce its nuclear commitments. The EU and its Member States have consistently urged Iran to reverse these steps and to refrain from further measures that undermine the nuclear deal.

The High Representative, as Coordinator of the JCPOA, took multiple steps and redoubled efforts to bring the JCPOA back to full implementation after the triggering of the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) by the E3 in 2020. Despite the negotiations with the JCPOA participants and the United States until 2023, the High Representative noted in the statement of 6 October 2023 that, following consultations with all JCPOA participants, the issue remained unresolved given the diverging views expressed. The High Representative, as Coordinator of the JCPOA, equally took steps on the Dispute Resolution Mechanism after it was triggered by Iran. 

• Follow the link to learn more about the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM)