US Non-Renewal of Sanctions Relief Will Violate JCPOA

A senior nuclear official said the United States would be “explicitly” violating the nuclear deal with Iran and major powers, if it refused to extend the suspension of nuclear-related sanctions against the Islamic Republic on the due date.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, made the statement on Monday, Press TV reported.

Under the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran received relief from nuclear-related sanctions by the US, the UN and the European Union.

Part of the termination of the penalties comes in the form of the US issuing and extending waivers of statutory sanctions provisions. To do this, the US routinely conducts its own verification of Iranian commitment to the deal and also relies on the UN atomic body’s inspections.

A next round of such sanctions relief extension is due in May and both the US and the UN have verified Iranian compliance.

Yet, recent rhetoric from Washington has raised concerns that US President Donald Trump may not extend the sanctions relief.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said Washington is reviewing whether offering such sanctions relief “is vital to the national security interests of the US”.

Trump has also stepped up his rhetoric against the agreement Iran signed with six world powers, including the US, to curb its nuclear program against the removal of sanctions.