MPs to Discuss US’ New Move against Iran’s Nuclear Activities
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior Iranian lawmaker condemned the US administration’s recent move to impose new limits on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities and said the members of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission plan to discuss the issue on Sunday.
Mojtaba Zonnour told Tasnim that the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission will hold a meeting on Sunday and discuss Washington’s move to scrap waivers that allow Tehran to receive international assistance for the conversion of atomic sites for civilian uses.
He further emphasized that the move is definitely a violation of the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We will take any action that the JCPOA has permitted Iran, and we will not pay heed to the US moves to renege on its pledges,” the parliamentarian went on to say.
The Trump administration renewed five of seven sanctions waivers that allow Russia and European nations to conduct civilian nuclear cooperation with Iran but revoked the other two as part of its pressure campaign against Tehran, the US State Department said.
On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo extended the waivers, which were due to expire Saturday, for 90 days, shorter than the 180 days that had been granted in the past, according to AP.
The waivers permit work at several Iranian nuclear sites to continue without US penalties. Under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, Russia and several European nations help maintain the facilities.
Facilities included in the waiver extensions include the Bushehr nuclear power plant, the Fordow enrichment facility, the Arak nuclear complex and the Tehran Research Reactor, the US State Department said.
However, the Bushehr waiver is being tightened so that any assistance to expand the plant could incur sanctions.
The other two waivers — one that allowed Iran to store excess heavy water produced in the uranium enrichment process in Oman, and one that allowed Iran to swap enriched uranium for raw yellowcake with Russia — were not renewed, the department said. That decision is aimed at forcing Iran to stop enriching uranium, something it was allowed to do up to certain limits under the nuclear deal, it said.