Approval of the General Framework of the JCPOA Plan in Parliament; Threats to Salehi and Zarif

According to reports, the general framework of the plan known as "Iran's Proportional Action Plan in Implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" was approved in the Islamic Consultative Assembly on Sunday, October 19. According to the IRNA news agency, representatives in the open session of the parliament approved the urgent plan for the proportional and reciprocal action of the Islamic Republic of Iran in implementing the JCPOA with 139 votes in favor. In this voting, out of a total of 253 representatives present, 100 voted against and 12 abstained. In this session, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization, represented the government, and Aladdin Boroujerdi, the head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, defended the plan. Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, and Abbas Araghchi, other senior negotiators of Iran regarding the nuclear program, participated in the parliamentary report review process. Previously, the urgency of the JCPOA-related plan was approved on October 12. Supporters of the JCPOA have consistently emphasized that delays in its approval would prolong the lifting of sanctions against Iran and further harm Iran's economy. In this regard, Kamal Pirmoazen, a representative from Ardabil, warned on Sunday that "every day of delay in approving the JCPOA costs the country 100 million euros." A day earlier, Cyrus Nasseri, a former member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team, stated that sanctions have cost Iran "100 to 150 million dollars" per day and that due to the parliamentary review of the Vienna nuclear agreement and delays in its implementation, "about 2,500 million dollars" have been imposed on the country. However, opponents of this plan expressed concern about "U.S. influence" in Iran through the JCPOA, and in this regard, Mehrdad Bazrpash, a member of the parliamentary board, also said on Sunday: "There is no doubt that the JCPOA has security gaps." The process of lifting Iran's sanctions will take place on what is known as "Implementation Day" within the framework of the nuclear agreement on July 23. According to the agreement between Iran and six world powers, after the agreed limitations regarding Iran's nuclear program are implemented and following initial verifications and inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program will be lifted. Hamid Rasai, another opponent of the JCPOA, also stated that this agreement should be presented as a bill by the government for parliamentary approval. The Iranian government previously opposed presenting it as a bill, stating that in that case, the implementation of this agreement would become law. Majid Ansari, the parliamentary deputy of the President of Iran, who was present in the parliament, also stated that all ministers of Hassan Rouhani's government support the nuclear agreement. Ali Larijani: The Leader says he has no opinion on the JCPOA. According to IRNA, Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, said on Sunday that the "Proportional and Reciprocal Action Plan of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Implementing the JCPOA" has been communicated to Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Republic, who stated: "I have no opinion on the JCPOA and will not interfere in the representatives' votes." Larijani further added that "this plan is a national issue and there must be consensus on national issues. Last night, I reviewed the plan from beginning to end with Mr. [Ali] Shamkhani [Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran], and he accepted it, even saying that important issues have been raised in this plan that are good." "Threats to Salehi and Zarif with Death" by Some Representatives. Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, confirmed on Sunday in an interview with ISNA that on this day, one of the parliament members threatened Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization, with death. Kamalvandi referred to the remarks of Rouhollah Hosseinian, a member of the Stability Front, who on Sunday in the open parliament addressed Salehi, saying, "If the JCPOA passes, we will execute you and bury you in the Arak reactor and pour cement on you." The spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization, however, did not directly name Hosseinian but stated that "hearing such a statement was very surprising for us." He added: "I still think I am dreaming that a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly would come and threaten a high-ranking official of the country with death while one of the most important national issues is under review and then say that we will take you to such and such a place and pour concrete on you." Meanwhile, Kamal al-Din Pirmoazen, a representative from Ardabil, also reported that Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, was threatened in the parliament and said that "Salehi was threatened with death and Zarif was threatened with execution." When asked which representatives threatened Zarif, he mentioned: "Hosseinian, Rasai, and the Stability Front members." Majid Ansari, the parliamentary deputy of the President, also confirmed that the death threats in the parliament included Mohammad Javad Zarif. Ansari told IRNA that "we think Mr. Zarif and Salehi have heard such remarks often, and we do not take them seriously." In this context, "imposing millions of dollars in costs on the country" due to delays in implementing the JCPOA, the request of 17 representatives from the Stability Front to stop reviewing the JCPOA plan, Boroujerdi: the authors of the JCPOA commission report have harmed the country badly.