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17:59 GMT
PARIS, March 22 (KUNA) -- France said on Thursday that it hoped the United States would proceed with implementation of the 2015 nuclear accord signed by the international community and Iran, but the Foreign Ministry here said it was up to the Americans to take this decision.
"It is important that the Vienna accord be preserved. We are working with our European partners in that direction," the Foreign Ministry said in a briefing.
The accord was formally signed between the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany (P5+1) and Tehran during the presidency of Barack Obama, but President Donald Trump has refused to validate it because he said it was a bad agreement.
The US Congress will now give its view and decide if sanctions it lifted after the agreement was inked will be put back on Iran, which could scupper the deal.
"At this stage, the United States implements this accord. We hope they will confirm this position. It is a decision that is up to them," the Foreign Ministry said, noting France "is attached to the full implementation of the accord, which necessitates that Iran continues to respect its commitments."
Paris also pointed out that in addition to wanting to maintain the nuclear accord, France is not excluding "Iranian responsibilities for ballistic missile proliferation" and its "very debatable role in the entire Near and Middle East zone." (end)
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