Reuters - France, Germany and Britain on Saturday criticised a U.S. decision to end sanctions waivers allowing work on Iranian nuclear sites designed to prevent weapons development.

�We deeply regret the U.S. decision to end the three waivers,� the three European countries said in a joint statement.

�These projects, endorsed by U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, serve the non-proliferation interests of all and provide the international community with assurances of the exclusively peaceful and safe nature of Iranian nuclear activities.�

The waivers had allowed Russian, Chinese and European companies to work on the conversion of Iran�s Arak heavy water reactor, the provision of enriched uranium for a Tehran research reactor, and the transfer of spent fuel abroad.

Reporting by Laurence Frost and John Irish; Editing by Mark Heinrich