Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21
By Temkin Jafarov, Fatih Karimov - Trend:
A senior Iranian politician and nuclear expert says the Iranian Supreme leader, Ali Khamenei's letter to President Hassan Rouhani on implementation of the nuclear deal is a matter of concern inside the country.
It can be used as leverage outside the country as well, Saeed Yari, the Chief Secretary of the Organization on Iran's National Interest Protection told Trend Oct. 21.
Khamenei wrote a letter to Rouhani on Oct. 21 confirming the nuclear deal under certain conditions.
In his letter which was published on the official website of the leader, Khamenei announced he confirms the Supreme National Security Council's decision on implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under certain conditions which were listed in the letter.
Regarding the letter's domestic use, it can be said that different groups who are opposing the JCPOA will surrender after reading the leader's letter, Yari said.
"Despite their criticisms, they will stop their provocations."
Western countries, especially the United States and Britain, will be warned that they are not just facing with Iran's foreign ministry and the atomic energy agency regarding the JCPOA, he further said.
The expert believes that the Western countries will find out that a mighty body is supervising the country's foreign ministry and the atomic energy agency, and that they should be cautious not to be influenced by lobby groups in Israel and opposition groups inside the countries.
Yari added that the leader's letter is, of course, a warning about very important issues.
"It says that the Rouhani administration should be more vigilant about weak points and ambiguities in the JCPOA. However, the letter will not remove weak points in the JCPOA."
Another Iranian nuclear affairs expert, Reza Taqizadeh, believes that Khamenei's letter will be deterrent.
"Issuing such directives has been deterrent mainly for conservatives and military persons," Taghizadeh told Trend Oct. 21.
"In addition, directives of Ayatollah Khamenei about Arak reactor and the number of centrifuges may not be conforming with the JCPOA and may endanger the agreement in the future."
According to Taghizadeh, Ayatollah Khamenei had ordered for equipping 120,000 centrifuges, but Iran has pledged to operate just several thousand centrifuges.
"The West is planned to act step by step, meaning that when they became assured of Iran's first step, they will take the first step. Lifting of the sanctions will start when Iran meets its obligations. In the meantime, the International Atomic Energy Agency's report will be the criterion which can confirm Iran's fulfillment."
After several months of talks, on July 14, Iran and the P5+1 announced a final accord, curbing Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting most of the international sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
The deal came into effect Oct. 18 and it is expected that sanctions will be removed in the coming months after fulfillment of Iran's commitments.
Edited by CN