US would withdraw sanctions if it could reach deal with Iran: Pompeo

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said on Thursday that the United States would withdraw initiating snapback sanctions against Iran if it could reach an agreement with the Islamic Republic, however, that is unlikely to happen within the next 31 days.

"As for the things that would cause us to change our mind, if we could get to a place where we got a full-on agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran to behave like a normal nation and live up to the commitments we've asked for - we have been prepared to have that conversation for a long time - were we able to achieve that, we would consider withdrawing this," Pompeo said. "I think it's unlikely within the 31 days between here and there but as a diplomat, I always live in hope."

 

Earlier on Thursday, Pompeo sent a letter to the UN Security Council requesting that it invokes the 2015 nuclear agreement snapback mechanism under Resolution 2231, claiming Iran's non-compliance with the accord.

France, Germany and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on Thursday to deny support for the United States' initiative on reinstating UN sanctions against Iran by invoking the snapback mechanism of the nuclear agreement.