Iran’s Response to US Breach of JCPOA to Astound World: MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s presiding board warned that in case of the US government’s violation of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Islamic Republic’s reaction would surprise the world.
Speaking to Tasnim, Behrouz Nemati pointed to US President Donald Trump’s Friday remarks about the nuclear deal and said, “The JCPOA is an international agreement that neither Trump nor any other official of the member states of the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, US, Britain, France, and Germany) can violate unilaterally.”
He further commented on Trump’s attempts to prevent the expiration of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities and said the 15-year period for the limits’ expiration is one of the key provisions of the JCPOA and the US cannot violate it.
The parliamentarian went on to say that if the US really makes such a move (violating the key provision), Iran will show a reaction that would astound not only the US but the entire world.
The remarks came after Trump again waived sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, but threatened he would terminate the agreement if “significant flaws” in it are not fixed.
“Today, I am waiving the application of certain nuclear sanctions, but only in order to secure our European allies’ agreement to fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal,” Trump said in a statement Friday.
“This is a last chance. In the absence of such an agreement, the United States will not again waive sanctions in order to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. And if at any time I judge that such an agreement is not within reach, I will withdraw from the deal immediately. No one should doubt my word.”
In October, Trump said he would not certify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear agreement that was negotiated under the previous administration because it was “in violation of the spirit” of the accord.
The Trump administration asked Congress then to come up with and pass a companion agreement that addresses those issues.
It said it would also like Congress to amend the legislation that gives lawmakers the authority to slap sanctions on Iran if it decides Tehran is in violation of the nuclear agreement, outlining “trigger points” instead that set off automatic sanctions.
Trump said he wants Congress to fix “the deal’s many flaws” such as existing sunset provisions.