The three countries informed Borrell, who supervises the pact, in a letter that they are triggering its “dispute mechanism,” AP reported.
The leaders of the three nations claimed in a statement that they've been "left with no choice, given Iran’s actions, but to register today our concerns that Iran is not meeting its commitments.''
They said they are referring “this matter to the Joint Commission under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism, as set out" in the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement, "Our goal is clear: we want to preserve the accord and come to a diplomatic solution within the agreement”.
“We will tackle this together with all partners in the agreement. We call on Iran to participate constructively in the negotiation process that is now beginning.”
Borrell insisted that the move does not mean that sanctions will automatically be reimposed.
The mechanism allows two weeks for ministers to resolve any problems, although that period can be extended if all sides agree. If needed, an advisory board would have an extra 20 days to adjudicate.
Iran on January 5 announced its decision to take the fifth and final step in reducing commitment under the JCPOA following the EU’s inaction to honor its obligations under the deal.
In May 2018, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA.
Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the JCPOA after the US withdrawal, but the three EU parties to the deal (France, Britain, and Germany) have failed to ensure Iran’s economic interests.
The EU’s inaction forced Tehran to stop honoring certain commitments to the nuclear deal.
Iran maintains that the new measures are not designed to harm the JCPOA but to save the accord by creating a balance in the commitments.