Iraqi: Iran Views the Implementation of US Sanctions as a Violation of the JCPOA

Abbas Araghchi, head of the JCPOA Implementation Follow-up Committee, announced that the Joint Commission of the JCPOA is likely to convene in July this year and stated that if new US sanctions are implemented, Iran will view it as a violation of the JCPOA. According to IRNA, on Sunday, June 11, Abbas Araghchi referred to the recent vote in the US Senate to consider new sanctions against Iran, deeming it 'against the principle of good faith and the successful implementation of the JCPOA.' He added, 'We will report all matters to the monitoring board for the implementation of the JCPOA.' The Joint Commission of the JCPOA includes representatives from the 1+5 group and Iran, overseeing the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement. The US Senate on Wednesday, June 7, paved the way for the approval of new sanctions against Iran with 92 votes in favor and 7 against. According to Reuters, some senators, including Senator Bernie Sanders, called for a postponement of the vote on the day of the 'Islamic government's' attack on Tehran. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein issued a statement saying, 'This country has suffered two serious terrorist attacks after a 57% vote for a moderate government; we must give Iran a chance to recover and a new direction.' In the new Senate proposal, Iran will be sanctioned for its ballistic missile program, 'support for terrorism,' and 'human rights violations.' Abbas Araghchi further stated that if the congressional resolution is finalized, it will be assessed by Tehran as a violation of the JCPOA. The head of the JCPOA Implementation Follow-up Committee said, 'According to Articles 26 and 29 of the JCPOA, the Americans are committed to implementing the JCPOA in good faith and in a constructive atmosphere and to refrain from any actions that would undermine the successful implementation of the JCPOA.' Araghchi also mentioned that American lawmakers have made several amendments to 'exclude JCPOA violations from this law.' He added, 'In our view, the very act of passing such a law could be contrary to the principle of good faith' and the principle of the successful implementation of the JCPOA. Abbas Araghchi noted that the JCPOA Commission meets every three months and estimated that the next meeting of this commission would likely be in July this year. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has described the JCPOA as the worst deal he has ever seen. He promised during his election campaign to withdraw from this agreement. John Kerry, Secretary of State under Barack Obama, opposing new sanctions against Iran, stated that these sanctions could send the message to the people that the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA) has not been beneficial for them. According to Article 26 of the Vienna nuclear agreement, 'The United States, in good faith, will make every effort to maintain the JCPOA and prevent interference in Iran's enjoyment of the lifting of the specified sanctions in Annex II. The US government, within the legal powers of the President and Congress, will refrain from reimposing or imposing anew the specified sanctions in Annex II that have been suspended in accordance with this JCPOA... The US government, within the legal powers of the President and Congress, will refrain from imposing new nuclear-related sanctions.' In Annex II of the JCPOA, sanctions in the areas of insurance services, oil, investment, shipping, gold and metal trading, and several other areas are recognized as inconsistent with the JCPOA. According to Article 29 of the JCPOA, 'The European Union and its member states, as well as the United States, in accordance with their laws, will refrain from any policy aimed at directly and hostilely affecting the normalization of trade and economic relations with Iran, in violation of their commitments not to disrupt the successful implementation of this JCPOA.'