US Intel Chiefs: Iran Adhering to Nuclear Deal

More than eight months after US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 nuclear pact with Iran, top US intelligence officials testified that Tehran remains in compliance with the agreement and that there is no indication Iran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon.  
Tehran says its nuclear activities are only for civilian purposes and have no military dimensions. 
Iran is still abiding by the terms of the nuclear accord despite the US pullout from the multinational agreement, Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel said on Tuesday.
“At the moment, technically, they are in compliance” with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Haspel told the Senate Intelligence Committee, AFP reported.
“I think the most recent information is the Iranians are considering taking steps that would lessen their adherence to JCPOA as they seek to pressure the Europeans to come through with the investment and trade benefits that Iran hoped to gain from the deal,” she said.
Haspel noted that Iranians are making some preparations that would increase their ability to take a step back if they make that decision.
“But we do see them debating amongst themselves as they failed to realize the economic benefits that they hoped for from the deal,” she said.
Washington withdrew from JCPOA on May 8, 2018, after Trump concluded it was not in US interests. He argued that the deal did not address the western concerns over Tehran’s missile development program and its regional activities and did not guarantee that Iran would not ramp up its nuclear program as of 2025 when some provisions of the agreement will expire.

The US has since restored tough sanctions that were in place before the deal was reached.
The remaining five signatories to the JCPOA, namely Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, have distanced themselves from Trump’s move and have supported continued commercial engagement with Tehran.
But, as a number of European companies have pulled out under pressure from US sanctions, those countries have backed an EU effort to set up a special payment system to continue trade and business ties with Iran.
Another Trump’s intelligence chief endorsed Haspel’s assessment about Tehran’s approach to the deal at the Tuesday hearing.
“While we do not believe Iran is currently undertaking the key activities we judge necessary to produce a nuclear device, Iranian officials have publicly threatened to push the boundaries of JCPOA restrictions if Iran does not gain the tangible financial benefits it expected from the deal,” Director of US National Intelligence Dan Coats said, CNN reported.