UK urges efforts to prevent collapse of Iranian nuke deal

TEHRAN, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The British ambassador to Iran said his country is doing everything possible to prevent the collapse of the Iranian international nuclear deal, Tehran Times daily reported Wednesday.

Both the United States and Iran would "make a mistake" if they pull out of the international agreement, Nicholas Hopton said Tuesday.

Iran has threatened to resume its nuclear activities with greater speed if U.S. President Donald Trump aborts the nuclear pact.

"I hope that the United States won't withdraw," said Hopton.

"We are doing everything possible to explain to our American partners why the deal is an important part of international and regional security mechanism and should be maintained," he added.

The British envoy also reaffirmed his country's full commitment to the nuke deal to ensure its successful implementation.

"We will continue to be fully committed to the success and the implementation of the deal so long as Iran also fully respects its commitments," Hopton noted.

Iran has been urging the European parties to help protect the 2015 nuclear deal against the threats of the U.S. government.

"European leaders should encourage President Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more importantly to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith," Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday.

In January, Trump asked U.S. lawmakers and European signatories to fix what he refers to as "terrible flaws" in the nuclear deal within 120 days.

The U.S. and its European allies should develop mechanisms to fix the "sunset clauses" in the deal by May 12, he said.

The U.S. president has described the accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as "the worst deal" the U.S. has ever struck.

In defiance of Trump's threats, Iran has vowed retaliation for any U.S. move to withdraw from the deal. Enditem