BRUSSELS, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on Friday that the participants involved in the Iran nuclear deal have reconfirmed their determination to preserve the agreement.
Borrell made the statement ten days after the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom triggered a dispute resolution mechanism within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Joint Commission.
"All #JCPOA participants reconfirmed determination to preserve the agreement, which is in the interest of all," he tweeted.
In the statement, Borrell said extensive bilateral and collective consultations have been made to secure the continued commitment of all JCPOA participants.
"Notwithstanding differences on modalities, there is agreement that more time is needed due to the complexity of the issues involved. The timeline is therefore extended," said Borrell.
He said all the parties agreed to pursue expert-level discussions addressing the concerns regarding the implementation of the nuclear deal, as well as the wider impacts of the withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA.
The Joint Commission will convene in February, Borrell added.
Sources from the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Xinhua that the parties have agreed to try their best to avoid submitting the case to the UN Security Council, a scenario that could occur if all the efforts to salvage the faltering deal turn out to be in vain.
The JCPOA was reached in 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 (permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France and China, plus Germany) to find a long-term comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. It was endorsed by the UN Security Council and supported by the EU.
The U.S. announced its withdrawal from the deal in 2018.
