Foreign Policy: Trump Assigns Another Group to Address JCPOA Due to Discontent with State Department

On Friday, July 30, Foreign Policy reported in an exclusive piece, citing three unnamed sources 'close to the White House', about Donald Trump's dissatisfaction with his Secretary of State regarding the JCPOA. The report also mentions that Mr. Trump, the President of the United States, following this discontent, has asked 'a group of trusted White House staff' to prepare a 'potential case' to prove Iran's non-compliance with the JCPOA within the next 90-day deadline. Foreign Policy did not disclose the names of its sources but explains that the three sources 'were either invited to participate in this work or were informed of the President's decision in this regard'. According to an agreement reached between six world powers, including the U.S. and Iran in July 2015, the U.S. State Department is required to inform Congress every 90 days whether the Islamic Republic has adhered to the terms of the JCPOA. In line with this agreement, the Trump administration confirmed on Tuesday, July 27, in Congress that Iran has remained compliant with the nuclear agreement and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, although it has acted contrary to its 'spirit'. Simultaneously, a senior U.S. official stated that the current confirmation comes with 'suspicion' towards Tehran and that non-nuclear sanctions are on the way. Foreign Policy's report on Friday states that Donald Trump is dissatisfied with this and has expressed interest in having the option to declare 'Tehran's non-compliance' with the JCPOA. According to the report, Mr. Trump believes that the U.S. State Department, led by Rex Tillerson, has failed in this regard. The report continues that Mr. Trump assigned a group in the White House last Tuesday to 'ensure that this does not happen again in the next 90-day period'. According to one unnamed source from Foreign Policy, the U.S. President 'told the White House that he wants to be at a certain point [to declare Iran's non-compliance with the JCPOA] in 90 days, and this group's task is to get him to that point'. According to three sources from Foreign Policy, Trump had previously, three months ago, 'specifically asked Tillerson to prepare the ground for declaring [Iran's] non-compliance, and Tillerson failed to do so'. The report states that Trump, in April, three months ago, asked Tillerson to engage with U.S. allies and 'ensure that they are also on the side of the U.S.', but according to one source, 'Tillerson did nothing'. According to these sources, it is still 'too early' to conclude about this new policy, and more details will likely emerge after a meeting that is expected to be held 'early next week'. Sean Spicer, the White House spokesperson, announced on Monday, July 26, that Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, will soon announce his view on Iran's compliance with the 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' or 'JCPOA'. According to Foreign Policy, on that same Monday, which was effectively the Trump administration's deadline for announcing Iran's compliance or non-compliance, Donald Trump had a meeting with Rex Tillerson that quickly reached a deadlock. According to one source, in this meeting, two individuals, including Steve Bannon, the White House strategist and a close advisor to Mr. Trump, repeatedly asked Mr. Tillerson to enumerate the benefits of confirming Iran's compliance for U.S. national security, and he 'could not respond'. Foreign Policy denies this claim, citing Tillerson's media advisor. Donald Trump has been a staunch critic of the negotiations and agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group and had promised to abandon it if he won the election. After Mr. Trump's victory, U.S. officials did not emphasize unilaterally abandoning the nuclear agreement, but they have stated several times that it will undergo a complete review. Tehran is accused of repeatedly conducting ballistic missile tests, which can be used to carry nuclear warheads, despite UN Security Council Resolution 2231. This resolution, issued after the Vienna nuclear agreement to endorse it, calls on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Iran argues that its missile tests are not in violation of the nuclear agreement, stating that 'the tested missiles were not designed to carry nuclear warheads'.