The EU says it will not accept a 60-day window provided by Iran a day after Tehran quit parts of the 2015 nuclear deal.

The European Union has rejected Iran’s 60-day “ultimatum”, referring to Tehran’s decision to quit parts of the 2015 nuclear agreement a year after the US withdrew from the landmark accord signed with major world powers, including the EU.

In a joint statement with the foreign ministries of France, the United Kingdom and Germany, the EU urged Iran to respect the nuclear deal, and said they regretted fresh US sanctions imposed on Tehran.

The nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was designed to curb Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

“We are really getting a signal that in the last few weeks and months there have been lines drawn in the sand by the US and by Iran,” Basravi said.

He noted that since Washington’s unilateral pullout, Iran has drifted away from depending on European partners “for anything but moral support” as they have not yet had a functional effect on bettering Iran’s economy.

The EU’s statement may also be an attempt by European powers to draw their own boundaries, according to Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Paris.

On Wednesday, European governments, including France, expressed concern over the developments threatening the agreement.

Meanwhile, Russia and China blamed US sanctions for Tehran’s announcement.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif insisted that Iran’s decision to withdraw from certain provisions did not violate the agreement, and said it had been provoked by the US.

He also said Iran would uphold its obligations if European signatories to the deal upheld theirs.

“In a way, they [European powers] have become increasingly trapped in the middle as the situation escalates between the US and Iran,” Butler said.

“EU leaders know that it is unlikely to come up with anything [solution] by that timeframe, and what they’re rejecting is that timeframe in the first place,” she said, referring to Iran’s 60-day window.

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