Iraqi: The American delegation emphasized that the United States' decision is to adhere to the JCPOA

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, stated that the American delegation present at the Joint Commission of the JCPOA indicated that Washington remains committed to the agreement. The tenth Joint Commission of the JCPOA was held on Wednesday, December 13, at the Coburg Hotel in Vienna, with representatives from the 1+5 group and the European Union. The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany are part of the 1+5 group. The Joint Commission of the JCPOA meets every three months to discuss Iran's nuclear commitments and other obligations outlined in the agreement, as well as related issues. Abbas Araghchi, along with Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, attended the meeting on Wednesday. Araghchi told reporters, "Today, all members of the 1+5 group clearly and transparently protested to the U.S. and emphasized that the U.S. must fulfill its commitments on time and accurately." The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister added, "The American delegation, despite its claims, emphasized that it will continue to adhere to the JCPOA and that the current decision of the U.S. government is to remain committed to the agreement." He stated that the internal processes of the U.S. are not related to the JCPOA, and said that "all parties" at the meeting on Wednesday stated: "There is no possibility for renegotiating the JCPOA, reopening the agreement, or linking any other issues to the JCPOA." This meeting took place while Donald Trump, the U.S. President, has refrained from confirming Iran's compliance with the JCPOA and referred the matter to Congress. However, Congress refrained from making a statement on the issue on Wednesday and referred it back to the White House. Thus, the sanctions that were suspended under the JCPOA remain suspended. The U.S. is seeking to renegotiate the terms of the JCPOA, which Iran and other parties have rejected. Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the JCPOA is the "worst deal" he has ever seen. The U.S. government, calling the agreement flawed, seeks to address issues such as ballistic missiles, Iran's regional policies, and support for Shia groups in the Middle East. According to the JCPOA, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the authority on Iran's compliance with the agreement. The IAEA has confirmed Iran's compliance in its quarterly reports so far. However, the U.S. Congress has passed a domestic law requiring the President to confirm Iran's compliance with the JCPOA every three months. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister stated, "The internal processes of the U.S. are not important to us. What matters is that they fulfill their commitments and that the sanctions they lifted remain lifted, ended, and canceled, and that they do not reinstate any sanctions." On the other hand, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the parties at the Joint Commission of the JCPOA reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the agreement. According to Itar-Tass, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said, "Participants discussed the details of implementing the JCPOA. All members of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA reiterated their commitment to the precise implementation of the agreement." The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson added that special attention was given at the meeting to the doubts that have arisen regarding the U.S. remaining in the JCPOA. Maria Zakharova stated, "All members confirmed that the JCPOA is based on the principle of mutual action and that its goal is particularly to encourage the normalization of international trade and economic cooperation with Tehran." According to Maria Zakharova, at this meeting, the Russian representative emphasized that ignoring this principle by one party jeopardizes the future of the JCPOA. General Herbert McMaster, the National Security Advisor to the White House, reiterated the U.S. President's position in September of this year, calling the JCPOA the "worst possible deal." In an interview with ABC News regarding the Iran nuclear agreement, he stated, "As the President has said, this is the worst deal. It has given all the benefits to the Iranian regime in advance." McMaster accused Iran of destabilizing the region and stated, "We know that Iran has violated parts of the agreement." This American official also suggested that Iran might secretly be pursuing the production of a nuclear bomb.