It's time US and Iran stepped down a bit

Editor's Note: Iran's enriched uranium stockpile has passed the 300-kilogram limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal, from which the United States withdrew in May last year. Given the mounting tensions between Teheran and Washington, how would the situation evolve? Three experts share their views on the issue with China Daily's Liu Jianna. Excerpts follow:

End of deadlock nowhere in sight

Iran seems to have adopted a strategy similar to the US' "maximum pressure" in the hope it would help it garner tangible support from the European Union to somewhat offset the effects of US sanctions on its economy. The enrichment of uranium beyond the limit set by the Iran nuclear deal is a part of that strategy. Yet given the overall picture, what the EU can do is limited.