WASHINGTON, 19 February, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterparts from Britain, Germany, and France (E3) discussed the Iran nuclear issue, calling on Tehran not to limit the verification of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

While urging Iran to consider the consequences of the actions, the joint statement issued after their meeting said, "The E3 and the U.S. called on Iran not to take any additional steps, in particular with respect to the suspension of the Additional Protocol and to any limitations on IAEA verification activities in Iran."

The four foreign policy chiefs expressed concerns over Iran's recent actions to produce both uranium enriched up to 20 percent and uranium metal.

However, it is said that the statement issued points towards the U.S’s willingness to engage with Tehran over the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"The E3 welcomed the United States' stated intention to return to diplomacy with Iran as well as the resumption of a confident and in-depth dialogue between the E3 and the United States," said the statement.

"If Tehran comes back into strict compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA the United States will do the same," Blinken reaffirmed in the statement.

Adding that, Washington "is prepared to engage in discussions with Iran toward that end."

However, in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018 and the re-imposition of sanctions, Iran has suspended implementing parts of its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal.

It is seen that Iran has insisted the U.S. initiate as the Iranian FM Javad Zarif reaffirmed a tit for tat approach to the commitment on Wednesday.