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EPA
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt launches a new attempt to prevent a nuclear deal between Iran and Gulf tensions.
Hunt will meet EU foreign ministers in Brussels to voice his concerns over Iran's non-compliance with some of its commitments.
The agreement, which implies that Iran is restricting its nuclear activities in return for easing economic sanctions, has struggled after the withdrawal of the United States in 2018.
This comes amid increased tensions after the United Kingdom seized an Iranian tanker.
On Saturday, Mr Hunt said that the tanker, arrested by the Royal Marines earlier this month, could be released if the UK was badured that the oil it was carrying was not intended for the Syria.
At a meeting of Foreign Ministers on Monday, Mr Hunt will work with European partners in the agreement, France and Germany, to encourage Iran to meet its commitments.
In a joint statement issued before the meeting, Britain, France and Germany reiterated their support for the agreement.
But they said they were "deeply troubled" by the recent events in the Gulf and "concerned" about US-Iran relations.
- The Iranian nuclear crisis in 300 words
- Look: the Iranians on Trump and the nuclear deal
"We believe the time has come to act responsibly and look for ways to stop escalating tensions and resume dialogue," the statement said.
"The risks are such that it is necessary for all stakeholders to pause and consider the possible consequences of their actions."
Earlier this month, Iran said it would break the deal by exceeding the limit for uranium enrichment.
How will the United States react?
Analysis of BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Robbins
Britain, France and Germany are intervening forcefully to prevent the crisis in relations with Iran from deteriorating: an armed conflict.
Their joint statement focuses on the need to try to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal that President Trump has abandoned in favor of an increase in sanctions against terrorism. Iran.
This is an agreement that Iran says today is in violation because it does not provide the promised economic benefits.
But Theresa May, Emanuel Macron and Angela Merkel are worried about the risk of the nuclear agreement "being further unraveled" under the burden of US sanctions and Iran's decision not to implement any more. the key elements of the agreement.
They urge all countries "to pause and consider the possible consequences of their actions".
This could make the White House furious, seeming to equate aspects of uncompromising United States policy with those of Iran.
What is the Iran nuclear deal?
In 2015, Iran signed a long-term agreement – called the Joint Global Action Plan – after the international community had expressed concern at the idea of developing nuclear weapons.
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AFP
Iranian President Rouhani (R) inspects nuclear technology earlier this year
Iran, which insisted that its nuclear program was entirely peaceful, agreed to limit certain nuclear activities and to allow international inspectors.
- Iran's nuclear deal: key details
In return, the other signatories – UK, France, Germany, China and Russia – agreed to lift some of the crippling economic sanctions imposed on Iran.
Prior to Monday's meeting, Hunt said: "The Middle East is already one of the most volatile regions in the world, but if the various parties were armed with nuclear weapons, that would pose a threat existential for humanity. "
Why is the business in trouble?
In 2018, Donald Trump announced that he would unilaterally withdraw the United States from the agreement signed under the Barack Obama government.
The other parties criticized Trump's decision and said they remained committed to the agreement.
On Sunday, the Mail on Sunday issued a memo revealing that Mr. Trump had abandoned the nuclear deal at the expense of Obama.
Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran had violated the ceiling of the agreement on uranium storage weakly enriched.
- Why are the limits of uranium enrichment by Iran important?
Iran said it was responding to sanctions reinstated by the United States after Mr Trump dropped the deal. Last week, he confirmed that he was going to break another of the limits imposed by the agreement.
Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Iran still wanted to save the deal, but accused European countries of not honoring their own commitments.
What about tanker strains?
Tensions between the United Kingdom and Iran erupted earlier this month when the Royal Marines seized an Iranian oil tanker suspected of not violating EU sanctions.
The United Kingdom suspected Grace 1, arrested on July 4 near Gibraltar, was carrying oil destined for Syria.
Iran denied going to Syria and said the seizure of the vessel was "piracy".
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Reuters
The oil tanker was suspected of carrying crude oil to Syria
During a phone interview with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday, Hunt tried to rebadure his counterpart that the detention "had nothing to do with Iran's oil." ".
Zarif also wanted to solve the problem and did not "try to make it worse", Hunt said.
In response to the seizure, Iran has threatened to seize a British tanker.
On July 9, the United Kingdom described as "critical" the threat to British ships in Iran's Gulf waters.
A day later, Iranian ships tried to prevent a British tanker from visiting the area before being warned by a Royal Navy ship, according to the Defense Ministry.
Iran has denied any attempt at seizure, quoting Zarif, as saying that the United Kingdom has claimed to "create tension".
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