Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 11
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
The Iranian parliament started reviewing a bill on implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Oct. 11 morning.
The session which is broadcast live by Iran's State IRINN TV was held under intense debates between the opposing MPs.
A number of lawmakers urged the parliamentary presiding board to order to urgently review the JCPOA to show Tehran's reciprocal and proportional measure towards implementation of the Plan.
Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, deputy foreign minister and senior nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi as well as Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Agency of Iran (AEOI) are attending the session.
The JCPOA was reached between Iran and the P5+1 (the US, the UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) on July 14. It will curb Iran's nuclear program in return for lifting economic sanctions.
In the opening of the parliament session, the parliament Speaker, Ali Larijani said that the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was informed about the bill.
Larijani quoted Khamenei as saying that he has no viewpoint about the JCPOA and will not interfere in the MPs' voting.
The generality of the bill on implementing the JCPOA was approved on Oct. 5 by the National Security and Foreign Policy and Energy Commissions of the parliament.
The bill will allow the government to take some measures in line with the constitution and the country's red lines regarding the JCPOA.
Under the bill, the government is also required to stop the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty - that allows unannounced inspections outside of declared nuclear sites - if the West doesn't cooperate in the implementation of the JCPOA.
Also, the government is obliged to carry out commercializing nuclear activities, research and development issues, reads the bill.
The Supreme National Security Council, as the highest source of decision making for political and military affairs, has already approved the JCPOA. However Khamenei's point of view is that the parliament should also take decision in this regard.
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