Baeidi-Nejad: Any Action by the U.S. Should Not Be Considered a Violation of the JCPOA

A senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official says that Iranian media is "expected" to avoid labeling any actions by U.S. government entities as a "violation of the nuclear agreement" without thorough assessment in order to "prevent unrest among the people." Hamid Baeidi-Nejad, Director General of Political and International Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, stated on December 30 that if the travel restrictions approved for the U.S. are "implemented as written," it would be a "violation" of the nuclear agreement and would face a "serious reaction" from Tehran. He also added that the potential seizure of the Central Bank's assets and the issue of compensation for victims of terrorist incidents are unrelated to the nuclear agreement. This Foreign Ministry official did not provide details about a possible Iranian response to the new travel laws in the U.S. However, he noted that "the U.S. Secretary of State has assured Iran that the U.S. government has the authority to implement this congressional measure in a way that does not negate U.S. commitments under the JCPOA." At the end of December, a new law was passed in the United States that imposes restrictions on visa exemptions for citizens of 38 countries, requiring them to obtain a visa to enter the U.S. if they have traveled to Iran, Iraq, Syria, or Sudan since 2011. The new restrictions have sparked a wave of reactions among Iranian officials, some of whom have mentioned the potential "contradiction" with the nuclear agreement signed on July 14. Previously, the U.S. Secretary of State had written to the Iranian Foreign Minister stating that this law would be implemented in a manner that "would not create obstacles for Iran's legitimate economic interests." However, this letter from John Kerry also faced criticism and backlash within the U.S. Hamid Baeidi-Nejad also reacted to the issue of compensation for American embassy hostages in Tehran and the potential "seizure of the Central Bank's assets" in the U.S. for compensating victims of "terrorist incidents." He stated that these events are unrelated to the nuclear agreement and criticized the "hasty" reactions of some Iranian media linking these recent congressional actions to the nuclear agreement. He did not specify which media outlets he was referring to. Baeidi-Nejad's recent statements come amid reports of new sanctions being prepared against Tehran in the U.S. due to Iran's "missile development program." According to reports, the U.S. Treasury Department reserved the right to impose sanctions on Iran during the nuclear agreement negotiations if Iran develops its missile program, supports "international terrorism," or violates human rights. Iran's recent missile tests have faced criticism in the United States, which continues. Iran is currently imposing restrictions on its nuclear program, and as a result of these restrictions, international sanctions related to this program will also be lifted. In this context, Iranian officials have protested the potential seizure of the Central Bank's assets in the U.S., welcomed the U.S. transfer of enriched uranium to Russia, and noted that the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. is preparing sanctions due to Iran's missile program.