Amano's Assurance on the Stability of the JCPOA Despite Strong Criticism from the U.S. Government

Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated that despite the strong criticisms from the new U.S. administration regarding the nuclear agreement with Iran known as the JCPOA, he is "confident" that the United States will not abandon this agreement. In an interview with the Financial Times, Amano said that the nuclear agreement with Iran is "more robust than others think, as long as it is implemented." He noted Iran's "commitment" to the terms of the nuclear agreement and the inspections by the IAEA of Iran's nuclear program, adding that "finding another way [to control Iran's nuclear program] is difficult." He emphasized, "I am not saying that our verification system [of Iran's nuclear program] is perfect, but it is the best we can have under these circumstances." Donald Trump, the U.S. President, and senior officials in his administration, along with many representatives in both houses of the U.S. Congress, have repeatedly criticized the nuclear agreement between Iran and the U.S., France, Russia, China, the UK, and Germany. Trump has stated several times that this agreement is "the worst deal he has ever seen." Despite this, while the U.S. President promised during his election campaign to tear up the nuclear agreement with Iran on his first day in office, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has dismissed this issue. Tillerson has stated that the U.S. will conduct a complete review of the agreement, and Vice President Mike Pence has warned that Washington will not allow the Islamic Republic access to nuclear weapons. In response, Iranian officials have consistently denied their desire to develop nuclear weapons, but the IAEA also reported in its final report on Iran's past nuclear program that the Islamic Republic engaged in activities related to the construction of a nuclear explosive device from 2003 to 2009. The Director General of the IAEA referred to the nuclear agreement with Iran as an agreement "among the entire international community," but warned that tensions arising from issues not covered in the nuclear agreement, such as Iran's missile program, could undermine existing trust. Yukiya Amano stated that "anything can affect the situation" and pointed to Iran's missile program, saying, "a small technical issue related to the implementation of the agreement can turn into a major political issue." Iran's missile program and the testing of ballistic missiles by the Islamic Republic have faced strong reactions from several countries, including the U.S. and Israel. Iran claims its missile program is defensive and non-negotiable, but critics refute this argument by pointing to instances such as the capability of some tested missiles to carry nuclear warheads or the slogans like 'Death to Israel' written on them.