Baku, Azerbaijan, July 24
By Emil Ilgar – Trend:
While Iran claims that it has fulfilled all its commitments under the nuclear deal, implemented in January 2016, a State Department official says “Iran is unquestionably in default of the spirit of that agreement.”
US lawmakers are negotiating tightening of the sanctions on Iran. During Donald Trump’s presidency, tens of Iranians have been blacklisted, accused of involvement in Iran’s missile program.
Answering Trend’s question if Washington’s sanctions waivers remain in place for the JCPOA, a State Department official said on conditions of anonymity that “the Trump Administration is continuing to conduct a full review of US policy toward Iran. During the course of this review, the United States will continue to aggressively counter Iran’s malign activities in the region and will continue to comply with its commitments under the JCPOA.”
The Department of State official added: “As a result, we communicated to the US Congress on July 17 that the United States continues to waive sanctions as required to continue implementing US sanctions-lifting commitments in the JCPOA, and is certifying to Congress that, based on available information, the conditions of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act are met as of July 17, 2017.”
According to the official, “the State Department also notes that Iran’s continued malign activities outside the nuclear issue severely undermine the stated goal of the JCPOA nuclear deal: to contribute to regional and international peace and security.”
She added that Iran is unquestionably in default of the spirit of that agreement.
US Republicans and Democrats have reached agreement on legislation that allows new sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea, Reuters has reported citing leading congressional Democrats.
The Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act, which was passed by the Senate a month ago, was held up in the House of Representatives after Republicans proposed including North Korea sanctions in the bill.
The House is set to vote on Tuesday on a package of bills on sanctions covering Russia, Iran and North Korea, according to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s office. The measure will "hold them accountable for their dangerous actions," McCarthy said in a statement Saturday.