Western Propaganda Over JCPOA Denounced

A lawmaker criticized the western signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal for spreading propaganda to accuse Iran of breaching the landmark agreement.

"In my opinion, the western front is seeking to mount a propaganda campaign against the Islamic Republic to make it look like Iran is distancing itself from the nuclear agreement," Ebrahim Rezaei also told ICANA on Monday.

Under the pact with major powers, Iran accepted temporary curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for relief from international sanctions. Restrictions on Tehran's nuclear work include capping its reserves of heavy water below 130 tons by selling, diluting or disposing of the excess amounts, under certain conditions. Rezaei was reacting to comments by International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano in an interview with the Wall Street Journal last month.  

Amano expressed skepticism about whether Iran would continue to comply with the limit on its heavy water stockpile.

A final assessment report presented by the IAEA to its board of governors in the last days of 2015 closed the agency's probe into Tehran's nuclear past, clearing the way for the nuclear pact to take full effect. The UN nuclear agency is now tasked with monitoring and verifying Tehran's commitments.

"The agency, which is under the influence of the United States, intends to throw the ball into Iran's court by accusing it of violating the JCPOA," Rezaei said, referring to the accord by its formal title, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Amano's remarks came despite his agency's confirmation in several reports that Tehran has upheld its side of the bargain and his supportive stance toward the agreement that he has touted as a "net gain".

Amano met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington in February.

During his confirmation hearing, Tillerson had called for a "full review" of the deal, echoing a demand by new US President Donald Trump who has been critical of JCPOA and has vowed to "police that contract so tough they [the Iranians] don't have a chance".