Iraqchi: Extension of the ISA Law Must Be Compensated

The Deputy for Legal and International Affairs of the Iranian Foreign Ministry and Head of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Implementation Follow-up Committee stated that "from Iran's perspective, the extension of the ISA law is a violation of America's JCPOA commitments and must be effectively compensated." According to a report from Fars News Agency on Tuesday, January 21, Abbas Iraqchi, who traveled to Vienna to participate in the sixth JCPOA Joint Commission, announced that the extension of the ISA law would be discussed in the Joint Commission. Mr. Iraqchi mentioned that the expert meetings prior to the Joint Commission meeting had reached "good" conclusions, but no report has yet been published regarding the results of the Iran-U.S. experts' meeting. According to this Iranian Foreign Ministry official, "According to the JCPOA mechanism, if a country has a complaint about another country's behavior, bilateral negotiations must first take place between the two countries, and we have had these bilateral negotiations." Following the extension of the "D'Amato" law in the U.S., Islamic Republic officials claim that this action constitutes a "violation" of the JCPOA, and they will not remain silent on this matter and will respond "appropriately." The sixth meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission is set to take place today at the Palais Coburg Hotel in Vienna, attended by the deputies of the Iranian Foreign Minister and the political directors of the 1+5 countries. An executive working group meeting for the lifting of sanctions was also held yesterday for about two hours with the participation of expert delegations from Iran and the 1+5 member countries. After the implementation of the nuclear agreement in January of last year, it was announced that a Joint Commission composed of Iran and the 1+5 countries, under the guidance and coordination of the EU's foreign policy chief, would continue to "monitor and supervise the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA." Since the implementation of the JCPOA, this Joint Commission has met several times, with major topics of discussion including the sale of Iran's heavy water and the challenges faced by European banks in participating in Iran. The fifth Joint Commission of the JCPOA at the level of deputy foreign ministers of the parties was held in late September under the leadership of Abbas Iraqchi and Helga Schmid, the Deputy Secretary-General of the EU's foreign policy. According to Iranian officials, the slow pace of lifting Iran's sanctions and the psychological atmosphere remaining from the sanctions were among the issues discussed in this commission.