Amano: Iran is Under the Strongest Nuclear Verification Regime

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency reiterated on Friday night Iran's commitment to the JCPOA, stating that Iran's nuclear program is currently under the "strongest verification regime" in the world. Yukiya Amano emphasized that Iran's nuclear commitments are being implemented within the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), just hours after the announcement of the new U.S. strategy regarding Iran, which included not certifying Tehran's compliance with the JCPOA. This is not the first time since the implementation of the JCPOA that the IAEA has confirmed Iran's adherence to the nuclear agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration's new strategy regarding Iran on Friday, stating that he could not certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal. Trump also warned that if a solution is not reached with Congress and allies, the U.S. would end the agreement. This position has drawn reactions from the leaders of the three European countries involved in the nuclear negotiations with Iran, as well as Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief and coordinator of these negotiations. While the leaders of Germany, France, and the UK warned about the consequences of actions that could harm the nuclear agreement, Mogherini emphasized Europe's commitment to the JCPOA and called for similar actions from other parties. In the statement from the IAEA Director General, it was emphasized that the Agency's verification and monitoring activities cover all elements related to the nuclear issue under the JCPOA. The statement indicated that Iran is currently implementing the Additional Protocol voluntarily, which the Agency claims is a powerful verification tool that provides inspectors with greater access to information and sites. Amano also stated that Iran is under the strongest verification regime in the world. On Friday night, Russia joined the critics of the new U.S. strategy regarding Iran, with the Russian Foreign Ministry describing Trump's approach as hostile and his statements as threatening. The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed the opinion that such statements "have no place in international diplomacy." The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry clarified that the UN sanctions that were lifted following the nuclear agreement would not be reinstated, and Moscow hopes that Trump's decision not to certify the JCPOA will not affect the implementation of this agreement. Among America's regional allies, Saudi Arabia and Israel welcomed the new U.S. strategy regarding Iran, with the Israeli Prime Minister describing Trump's action as a "brave step against Iran's hostility." Meanwhile, the Israeli Minister of Intelligence stated that the new U.S. strategy is a "significant transformation" that could "potentially lead to war."