Donald Trump Extends 'National Emergency' Regarding Iran

On Monday, March 11, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, informed Congress in a letter that he has extended the national emergency regarding Iran for another year. The letter, published on the White House website, states that on March 15, 1995, the President declared a national emergency concerning Iran through Executive Order 12957 to address an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States arising from the actions and policies of the Iranian government. At that time, President Bill Clinton accused Iran of supporting terrorism, undermining the Middle East peace process, and attempting to acquire weapons of mass destruction, issuing this executive order on March 14, 1995. This order must be renewed within a 90-day period before its expiration (March 15 of each year) or it will automatically be revoked. Trump further elaborated on the renewal process of this executive order in the years following 1995. In his letter, he referred to the Iran nuclear deal with six world powers, known as the JCPOA, in 2015, stating that on January 16, 2016, the day the JCPOA was implemented, the United States lifted nuclear sanctions against Iran, which led to the cancellation of some previous national emergency executive orders and other actions. Trump emphasized that these actions fundamentally changed our sanctions, while comprehensive non-nuclear sanctions against Iran remain in place. Iran and six world powers, including the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, reached an agreement in July 2015 to resolve Iran's nuclear program and lift international sanctions against it. Under this agreement, Iran agreed to halt many of its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of nuclear sanctions against Tehran. The U.S. President stressed that the actions and policies of the Iranian government, including the development of ballistic missile programs, support for international terrorism, and human rights violations, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. Trump reiterated that for this reason, the emergency declared on March 15, 1995, must continue after March 15, 2018. Iran considers its missile activities as 'defensive' and in accordance with international law, and it also rejects the allegations of human rights violations and support for terrorism.