“It is not an understatement to say that the recent tensions in Iraq and in the surrounding region have the potential to erase the hard-won progress of recent years, thereby affecting the lives of millions of people,” said Borrell at the European Parliament plenary debate on the situation in Iran and Iraq following recent escalations on Tuesday, according to official website of the European Union.

“This is also why I convened an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on Friday, coming back from Croatia sooner than expected, from which I received a strong mandate to carry out all necessary diplomatic efforts to contribute to the de-escalation in the region, support political dialogue and promote a political regional solution, these are the precise words of the conclusion of the Council,” he added.

“While it may appear as if – for the moment – the current situation will not escalate further, we – and I personally – have since the very beginning of this crisis been active in urging calm, restraint and de-escalation to all of the relevant parties inside and outside the region: from Iran to Iraq, to the UAE, to the United States, Turkey, Russia, China, and others. We want to ensure that everyone with influence uses that influence to good effect and that we reach a temporary calm,” EU Foreign Policy Chief noted.

He went on to say, “Well, the current situation in Iraq, and the risk of further military escalation, could jeopardize the substantial achievements instability and in particular the fight against Daesh in recent years. The current situation could generate a number of dangerous consequences: the resumption of Da’esh would have a catastrophic humanitarian impact, possibly leading to a dramatic increase in the number of displaced persons.”

“The situation in Iran is also something that we continue to follow closely. We have had a number of tragic incidents; the Ukraine International Airlines plane crash on 8 January which killed all 176 on board, including a high number of EU citizens. Iran has now taken responsibility for this crash. As I said in my statement on 11 January, this was a deplorable tragedy, and once again, I want to extend my condolences to the victims’ families,” Borrell added.

“A failure to preserve the deal will only add tensions in the region. Imagine for a second what would be the situation today if Iran had nuclear weapons. And they would have been able to obtain those without the JCPOA,” he said.

EU Foreign Policy Chief mentioned, “Iran announced its fifth and – according to its own announcement – final step in the reduction of its nuclear commitments under the deal. This is a worrisome announcement, but it is important to see what the International Atomic Energy Agency reports on how Iran implements this step. As the Coordinator of the JCPOA, I have been in touch with all the participants on the diplomatic way forward, seeking to preserve unity in the group.”

Referring to the dispute resolution mechanism, he said, “As Coordinator of the Joint Commission, I will guarantee that the Dispute Resolution Mechanism provides an opportunity to address the issues indicated by France, Germany, and the UK. I will oversee this process, and I will be in touch with all the participants on the next steps.”

“I want to underline here that the Dispute Resolution Mechanism is first and foremost a process to resolve issues related to the deal implementation. The objective of the Dispute Resolution Mechanism will be therefore to find solutions and return to full compliance within the framework of this deal. It is not a matter of putting sanctions – as I saw some newspapers had been claiming this morning. All remaining participants in the agreement have been clear of their determination to preserve the JCPOA. This unity is crucial and I intend to work hard to preserve it,” he added.

France, Britain, and Germany confirmed on Tuesday that they had triggered the dispute mechanism in the Iran nuclear deal, but said they were not joining the United States campaign to exert maximum pressure on Tehran.