The European Union has warned that any new agreement with Iran could be weaker than the 2015 nuclear deal if ongoing US-Iran talks proceed without the involvement of nuclear experts.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday that excluding technical experts from negotiations would undermine the strength of any potential deal.

“If the talks are only about the nuclear and there are no nuclear experts around the table, then we will end up with an agreement that is weaker than the JCPOA was,” she said.

Kallas made the remarks as EU leaders gathered in Nicosia, Cyprus to discuss the economic and security implications of the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was a landmark agreement between Iran and world powers including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, Germany and the EU.

Under the deal, Tehran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the United States withdrew from the agreement during the first term of former President Donald Trump.

Kallas also said EU leaders emphasised that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is “non-negotiable” and called for increased EU military presence in the region.

The warning comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts and rising tensions in the Middle East, with uncertainty surrounding the future of US-Iran negotiations.