US Extension of ISA to Draw Iran’s ‘Decisive’ Response: President
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Implementation of a US congressional bill that extends sanctions against Iran for ten more years will draw a decisive response from Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani warned, saying even US President Barack Obama’s endorsement of the bill will provoke Iran’s commensurate reaction.
Addressing the Iranian lawmakers during an appearance in the parliament on Sunday to submit the next year’s budget bill, President Rouhani made it clear that US implementation of the congressional bill extending the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for another decade will translate into a “clear violation” of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, and will provoke Iran’s “decisive response.”
It will be also against US commitments under the JCPOA if Barack Obama signs the anti-Iran bill, President Rouhani added, saying this will again draw Iran’s proper reaction.
While Iran is determined to carry out the JCPOA, it will act decisively in case of any lack of commitment to the deal, delay in its implementation, or its breach, he underscored.
His comments came after the US Senate voted 99-0 to extend the ISA for another decade. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives nearly unanimously in November, and congressional aides said they expected Obama would sign it.
Iran maintains that the measure will be a flagrant violation of the JCPOA, a nuclear agreement between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).