TEHRAN (Ruptly) — The European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell visited Iran on Monday for the first time since taking office. Borell’s trip was intended to discuss the latest attempts to salvage the nuclear deal, known as JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).

“We are in agreement not to go directly to a strict time limit that would oblige to go to the Security Council and this is the most important thing I can say about it now. Our will is not to start a process that goes to the end of the JCPOA, but [one] that [would] keep it alive”, said Borell after meeting with Iranian leaders.

Iran announced that it was no longer complying with the deal after the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike on January 3. In response, Britain, France and Germany launched a process that could lead to the collapse of the agreement and UN sanctions being re-imposed on Iran.