TEHRAN, Dec. 17 (MNA) – The EU said Monday it was ready to suspend some sanctions against Iran as soon as experts check that Tehran is implementing the terms of a historic deal on its nuclear program. European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels said the 28-nation bloc backed the Joint Plan of Action reached on November 24 in Geneva as "a long-awaited signal of the commitment of all sides to build trust and reduce tensions" over Iran's nuclear activities. The so-called P5+1 world powers that negotiated the accord with Iran -- the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China, and Germany -- say it is a key first step to resolve the decade-old dispute.
"A swift implementation of the voluntary measures by all sides is now key," the EU ministers' statement said. "Iran has to implement its commitments in good faith. For its part, the (EU) Council is committed to take the necessary steps and to suspend those EU sanctions as set out in the Joint Plan of Action," it added. Those sanctions would be suspended after inspectors from the international watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, had verified the implementation of nuclear-related measures by Iran, the statement said. An EU official said the suspension would take place "as soon as possible" during a first six-month period which has not yet officially kicked in and which is to pave the way to a more long-lasting solution still to be negotiated.