Nov 2, 2018

France, Germany, Britain and the European Union issued a joint condemnation Friday of the US move to place fresh sanctions on the Iranian economy, vowing to protect European companies doing "legitimate" business with Tehran.

"We deeply regret the reimposition of sanctions by the United States stemming from their withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," the statement said in reference to the hard-fought 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

Struck between world powers and Tehran after years of fraught negotiations, the deal was aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief.

But US President Donald Trump announced in May that he was walking away from the deal and w

ould reimpose sanctions, leaving the EU scrambling to protect companies that have forged trade links with Iran.