European countries say U.S. has no authority to reimpose Iran sanctions

The U.S. has no authority to reimpose sanctions lifted in accordance with the Iran nuclear agreement after President Trump pulled out of the deal in 2018, France, Germany and the United Kingdom wrote in a joint statement Sunday.

Why it matters: The U.S. announced it will reimpose sanctions and an arms embargo against Iran as part of the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign against the Islamic Republic, which it has accused of financing terrorism and other destabilizing activities across the Middle East.

• The UN has warned that the move is meritless, and the ordeal could lead the U.S. to impose sanctions on its European allies, according to The Guardian.
• "We have worked tirelessly to preserve the nuclear agreement and remain committed to do so," the nations wrote.

The other side: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday said he expects UN member countries to "fully comply with their obligations to implement these measures."