EU voices concern over US' decision to not extend waivers on oil trade with Iran

The European Union, France, Germany, and the UK on Saturday voiced concern over the US' decision to not extend waivers on oil trade with Iran, as well as to not fully renew waivers on nuclear non-proliferation projects.

A joint statement carried out by the EU's foreign policy chief and top diplomats from the said countries reads, "We, the High Representative of the European Union and the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, take note with regret and concern of the decision by the United States not to extend waivers with regards to trade in oil with Iran," reported TASS.

"We also note with concern the decision by the United States not to fully renew waivers for nuclear non-proliferation projects in the framework of the JCPOA," the statement added.

Last month, the US had announced that no fresh sanction waivers will be issued for Iranian oil importers to South Korea, China, India and five other countries.

Additionally, the US had on Friday warned that assisting Iran in expanding its Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant could invite sanctions.

"Iran must stop all proliferation-sensitive activities, including uranium enrichment, and we will not accept actions that support the continuation of such enrichment. We will also no longer permit the storage for Iran of heavy water it has produced in excess of current limits; any such heavy water must no longer be available to Iran in any fashion," US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

Relations between Iran and the United States have worsened after the latter pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal after US President Donald Trump came into power.

Washington re-imposed sanctions on nuclear cooperation with Iran, including by re-designating Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran entities, and by placing new limits on foreign assistance that could expand Iran's nuclear program in November 2018.

Furthermore, in March 2019, the US designated an additional 31 Iranian individuals and entities "linked to Iran's WMD proliferation-sensitive activities," as per the US Department of State.