France on Sunday warned Iran that its “irresponsible and dangerous” missiles attack in the Erbil city in northern Iraq can jeopardize prospects of returning to the nuclear deal.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the attack, claimed by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), “threatens the stability of Iraq and the region.”
Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for Saturday’s strike in the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), saying the missile targeted Israeli facilities in the region.
Read more: US making nuclear talks more complicated: Iran
“Such actions jeopardize efforts to bring about a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” the French Foreign Ministry statement said.
The ministry reiterated the “absolute urgency” of concluding the negotiations of the nuclear deal and underlined that Tehran must cease its “irresponsible and dangerous behavior.”
12 ballistic missiles landed on the northern Iraqi city of Erbil overnight, Iraqi officials say. Officials say missiles fired from outside Iraq. Attack comes at sensitive time in Iraq’s government formation and as US-Iran nuclear talks breakdown. No major casualties reported.
— Louisa Loveluck (@leloveluck) March 13, 2022
Under EU chairmanship, representatives from Iran, China, Russia, France, the UK, and Germany has been negotiating since December in the Austrian capital on ensuring full compliance and the US’ return to the deal.
The Iran nuclear deal – officially named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – was signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, China, Russia, France, the UK, Germany, and the EU.
Under the agreement, Tehran committed to limit its nuclear activity to civilian purposes and in return, world powers agreed to drop their economic sanctions against Iran.
Read more: France warns of major crisis if Iran nuclear deal fails to reach agreement
The US, under former President Donald Trump, unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to stop complying with the nuclear deal.
Yemen, on Sunday condemned a missile attack that struck Erbil in northern Iraq.
Voicing solidarity with Iraq, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest terms” the missile attack that targeted Erbil.
Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for Saturday’s strike in the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), saying the missile targeted Israeli facilities in the region.
Meanwhile, Jordan described the assault as a “terrorist attack.”
The Bahraini Foreign Ministry in a statement “denounced the missile attack on the city of Erbil” and expressed “full support for the Republic of Iraq in all the measures it takes to maintain its security and territorial integrity.”
The Yemeni Foreign Ministry decried “the terrorist attack that targeted the security and stability of Iraq.”
Nayef Al-Hajraf, the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), also condemned the assault, describing it as a “terrorist attack.”
Arab League’s Secretary-General Ahmed Abuol-Gheit, for his part, voiced “full support for the Iraqi efforts in confronting such criminal acts that targeted Iraq’s stability and security.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on social media condemned the attack and announced opening an investigation on the attack.
Anadolu with additional input by GVS News Desk