Europe prepared to remove sanctions

Europe's major powers have welcomed the prospect of an end to fighting between the United States and Iran, and said they would be willing to help keep the peace, and lift sanctions placed on Tehran — as long as certain conditions are met.

France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom — which are known collectively in diplomatic circles as the E4 — said on Sunday that they expect to be willing to lift sanctions, as long as it does not mean Iran will be able to produce a nuclear weapon.

"Iran ‌must never acquire a nuclear weapon," they said in a statement. "We stand ready to work with the US, Iran, and the IAEA to this end."

The IAEA, or International Atomic Energy Agency, is the world's largest intergovernmental forum dedicated to nuclear issues and frequently serves as an independent monitor of nations' nuclear capabilities.

The E4 nations said the deal, which is expected to be signed on Friday by the US and Iran, offered "a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability and stabilize the global economy". And they said they would be "prepared to lift relevant sanctions in response to clear, verifiable steps by Iran on its nuclear program".

European countries have placed extensive sanctions on Iran in recent years — largely through the European Union —including the freezing of assets belonging to Iran's central bank, a prohibition on Iranian crude oil, bans on arms sales, and the exclusion of Iranian aircraft from European airspace.

The E4 nations said the possible deal between the US and Iran should mean the Strait of Hormuz is reopened soon, "with unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation". And they signaled they would be prepared to deploy resources to the region to ensure things get back to normal as soon as possible, saying: "We are committed to playing our part to achieve this — in accordance with our respective constitutional requirements — including through a strictly defensive and independent mission to reassure commercial shipping and conduct mine clearance operations."

The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the deal between the US and Iran was a "hugely important step forward in ending the war" but that things will not return to normal before the Strait of Hormuz is open again and oil shipments are once more moving freely.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU's executive branch, the European Commission, said the agreement between the US and Iran should allow for the "immediate" toll-free reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but she added that "there can be no peace in the Middle East while Lebanon is in flames".

Von der Leyen said the EU was calling on "all parties to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity and implement a genuine ceasefire" there as well.