‘Positive signals’ needed to save JCPOA, Merkel tells Rouhani

German leader calls for diplomatic solution in call with Iran’s president, who insists on ending of US sanctions.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on Iran to take steps ensuring its return to full compliance to a landmark 2015 nuclear deal, in a rare phone call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The talks between the two leaders on Wednesday came before a deadline next week set by Iran for new United States President Joe Biden to start reversing crippling sanctions imposed by his predecessor, Donald Trump, or it will take its biggest step yet to breach the deal – banning short-notice inspections by the United Nations nuclear watchdog. “She expressed her concern that Iran continues to fail to meet its obligations under the nuclear agreement,” Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement after the phone call.