Iran: US must issue political statement in commitment to JCPOA

The Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister has said that Iranian public opinion cannot accept the words of a head of state as a guarantee, and that the US Congress should issue a political statement regarding Washington's commitments to the JCPOA and returning to the nuclear agreement.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic, stated that Iran wants to lift all sanctions announced during the Trump era and that the US Congress should issue a "political statement" regarding Washington's commitments to the JCPOA and a return to the nuclear agreement.

In this conversation, the Iranian Foreign Minister emphasized that Washington has failed to respond to Iran's request to guarantee that no party can leave the nuclear deal.

In another part of the interview, Amir Abdollahian said: "Public opinion in Iran cannot accept the words of a head of state as a guarantee, let alone the United States, which has a history of withdrawing from the JCPOA."

According to the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister, Iran's senior negotiators have suggested to Western parties that "at least their parliaments or their parliamentary heads, including the US Congress, declare their commitments to this agreement and return to implementing the JCPOA in the form of a political statement."

Amir Abdollahian referred to the issue of lifting “sanctions” and said: “Iran wants these negotiations to lead to the complete lifting of sanctions.” He went on to say that the Biden administration is only interested in removing the economic sanctions that were “imposed” on Iran during the Trump era, calling this issue “a challenge.”

Regarding direct negotiations with the United States, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic has also said that if we do not have a clear and promising perspective for reaching a "good agreement," we are not ready to enter into direct negotiations with the United States.

The United States reached a nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic in 2015 under President Barack Obama. After him, Donald Trump described the deal as “the worst deal in American history.” The United States withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018.

The US return to the JCPOA has also faced criticism and opposition from a number of US officials, especially in Congress. Some Republican senators have warned that they will withdraw from the agreement if it returns to the JCPOA.

According to American sources, the president does not have the right to take away the powers of future presidents by guaranteeing that they will remain in the JCPOA.

“A reneging America and an inaction Europe”

On the other hand, on Wednesday, February 16, Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, rejected any "post-JCPOA" negotiations with Western countries.

He wrote on Twitter: "America and Europe failed the test of implementing their commitments in the JCPOA. Now the JCPOA has become an empty shell for Iran in the economic sphere and the lifting of sanctions."

Shamkhani also said: "No negotiations beyond the JCPOA will take place with a renegade America and an inaction Europe."

The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic did not explain what he meant by “post-JCPOA” negotiations. But some experts speculate that in addition to negotiating the JCPOA, the West wants Iran to make commitments to change or halt its missile program, change its regional policy, and respect human rights.

Shamkhani's remarks come after he wrote on Twitter on Monday (February 13): "The Vienna talks have reached a stage where we can comment on their outcome with certainty and without the need for speculation. The US political decision to fulfill or refuse to accept the requirements for forming a reliable and sustainable agreement based on the principles accepted in the JCPOA can replace speculation."

Source: DW