Three EU countries on Tuesday launched a process charging Iran with failing to observe the terms of the 2015 deal curtailing its nuclear programme, a move that sparked anger and threats from Tehran at a time of growing tensions.

Russia also condemned the European move, warning it risked causing a "new escalation".

Britain, France and Germany insisted they remained committed to the agreement, which has already been severely tested by the US exit from it in 2018.

A US State Department spokesperson said Washington fully supported the three countries, adding "further diplomatic and economic pressure is warranted".

But British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also indicated he might prefer a new comprehensive accord negotiated with US President Donald Trump instead of the 2015 deal.

The decision to begin the so-called dispute mechanism process comes as tensions soar between the West and Iran following the killing of top commander Qasem Soleimani in a US air strike, and the admission by Tehran days later that it had accidentally shot down a Ukrainian airliner.

The foreign ministers of the three European nations said Iran had been progressively scaling back its commitments under the deal since May of last year.

"We have therefore been left with no choice, given Iran's actions," to begin the dispute process, their statement said.

In Moscow, the Russian foreign ministry said it saw "no reason for such a move".

"We do not rule out that the thoughtless actions of the Europeans could lead to a new escalation around the Iranian nuclear accord," it said in a statement.

- 'Accept the consequences' -

The 2015 nuclear deal signed in Vienna -- known as The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) -- has a provision that allows a party to claim significant non-compliance by another party before a joint commission.

If the issue is not resolved by the commission, it then goes to an advisory board and eventually to the UN Security Council, which could reimpose sanctions.

The first meeting of the process -- set to include the European nations, Iran and the other parties to the deal, China and Russia -- would take place in Austria by the end of the month, a diplomatic source told AFP in Vienna.

Iran intensified sensitive activities to enrich uranium, which can be used to make a nuclear weapon, in response to Trump's pulling out of the deal.

Its latest step in January to forgo the limit on the number of centrifuges used in uranium enrichment prompted the Europeans to trigger the mechanism.

But Tehran lashed out at the European countries and appeared to threaten unspecified retaliation.

"Of course, if the Europeans... seek to abuse (this process), they must also be prepared to accept the consequences," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

- 'Back to full compliance' -

But the three powers said they "once again express our commitment" to the deal and expressed "determination to work with all participants to preserve it."

"Our hope is to bring Iran back into full compliance with its commitments under the JCPoA," they said.

The accord aimed to restrict Iran's nuclear ambitions, which Western powers feared were aimed at developing weapons, in return for sanctions relief.

The three countries said they would not join "a campaign to implement maximum pressure against Iran" championed by Trump.

But Johnson said he would be willing to work on a "Trump deal" to replace the JCPoA, which was negotiated by the administration of former president Barack Obama.

"That's what we need to see. I think that would be a great way forward," Johnson said, noting that "from the American perspective it (the 2015 deal) is a flawed agreement."

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab denied that Johnson's remarks represented a shift, saying London backed the nuclear deal while also wanting a wider pact that would go beyond Iran's atomic drive to cover all contentious issues.

- Johnson 'contradiction' -

The European Union's diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said it was "more important than ever" to save the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal "in light of the ongoing dangerous escalations in the Middle East."

Borrell told the European Parliament in the French city of Strasbourg that "the British prime minister said things in contradiction with the letter signed by the (EU) foreign ministers."

"Failure to preserve the deal will only add to tensions in the region. Imagine for a second what would be the situation today had Iran nuclear weapons -- and they would have been able to obtain those without JCPoA", he said.

Tensions between Iran and the United States last week climbed to their highest levels since the hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran that followed the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted the pro-American shah.

Iran has vowed retribution over the United States' killing of Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad.

And while Iran's attack on Iraqi bases housing US troops was seen as a relatively measured retaliation, Iranian forces mistakenly shot down over a Tehran suburb a Ukrainian plane killing all 176 passengers and crew on board.

Analysts said launching the deal's dispute resolution mechanism gives Europe the advantage of taking control of the process, but warned that the move could also backfire.

Unravelling of the Iran nuclear deal
Tehran (AFP) Jan 14, 2020 - European signatories to the 2015 deal to limit Iran's military nuclear development launched a dispute mechanism on Tuesday after Iran progressively rolled back its commitments after the United States quit.

Here is a timeline since Washington pulled out in May 2018:

- US pullout -

On May 8, 2018, President Donald Trump withdraws the United States from the accord and announces the reimposition of sanctions against Iran and companies with ties to it.

"We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he says.

Iran has always denied its nuclear programme has any military dimension.

Tehran urges the remaining parties -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- to salvage the deal.

- US sanctions -

On August 7, Washington imposes sanctions targeting access to US banknotes and key industries such as cars and carpets.

New sanctions on November 5 hit Iran's vital oil sector and central bank transactions.

Major international firms halt their activities or projects in Iran.

In May 2019 Washington ends its sanctions exemptions on eight countries buying Iranian crude.

- Iran starts walk-back -

Iran on May 8 announces its first step back from the deal, saying it will suspend commitments on limiting the amount of heavy water and enriched uranium it possesses.

Trump announces new measures against its steel and mining sectors.

On July 1, Iran says it has exceeded the limit on its enriched uranium reserves.

Six days later, it confirms it has also breached the accord's uranium enrichment cap.

- 'Highest sanctions' -

On September 4, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani lifts all limits on nuclear research and development.

Tensions soar after a wave of aerial attacks on September 14 on two major Saudi oil facilities, blamed on Tehran. It denies involvement.

On September 20, Trump announces new sanctions on Iran's central bank.

- Iran takes more steps -

On September 26, the IAEA nuclear watchdog says Iran has started using advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium.

On November 4, Tehran says its enrichment increased more than tenfold, and announces it has developed two new advanced centrifuges.

On November 7, Iran resumes uranium enrichment at its underground Fordo plant -- its fourth walkback.

On the 18th, it says Iranian heavy water reserves have passed the accord's limit.

On December 5, Britain, France and Germany accuse Iran of developing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismisses the charge.

- Brink of war -

Tensions between Washington and Tehran spiral after a US drone strike on January 3, 2020 kills top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq, sparking a tit-for-tat confrontation in which Iran fires missiles at two US bases in Iraq.

A Ukrainian plane is then brought down "unintentionally" by an Iranian missile on January 8, killing all 176 on board.

On January 5, Iran announced its fifth step back, saying it will forgo a "limit on the number of centrifuges".

- Dispute mechanism launched -

On January 14, the deal's European signatories say they are launching its dispute mechanism, after accusing Iran of repeated violations. They insist they are committed to the agreement.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he would be willing to work on a replacement deal forged by Trump.

Related Links
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UK PM says 'Trump deal' could replace Iran nuclear pact
London (AFP) Jan 14, 2020
Britain emphasised its commitment to the Iranian nuclear deal on Tuesday even as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would favour replacing it with an accord that Washington could support. Johnson's proposal for a "Trump deal" came just hours before Britain, France and Germany triggered a dispute mechanism against Iran for violating the 2015 accord. "If we are going to get rid of it (the nuclear deal), let's replace it and let's replace it with the Trump deal," the prime minister told BBC telev ... read more