Joint Commission Meeting on JCPOA to Be Held in January

The spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament announced, citing the Iranian Foreign Minister, that a meeting of the Joint Commission on the JCPOA will be held on January 10. According to Fars News Agency, Hossein Naqavi Hosseini said on Tuesday (December 21) that Mohammad Javad Zarif announced the holding of this meeting during a session with members of the National Security Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Naqavi Hosseini added that Zarif stated in the meeting that 'the JCPOA was achieved through negotiation, and the non-implementation of the ISA law was part of our agreement, and for this reason, its approval was declared a violation of the JCPOA.' This member of Parliament further noted that the Foreign Minister also mentioned that 'the Joint Commission will convene on January 10, and we have a specific and documented plan after these stages.' Naqavi Hosseini also reported that Zarif mentioned the continuation of negotiations between Iran, Russia, and China, stating that 'all negotiating parties emphasize the continuation and implementation of the JCPOA.' Zarif said in this meeting that 'we are fully prepared for any action and have legal powers according to the JCPOA, and there is no need to refer to the Security Council.' Following the extension of the D'Amato law in the United States, officials of the Islamic Republic say this action constitutes a 'violation' of the JCPOA, and they will not remain silent on this matter and will respond 'appropriately.' Mohammad Javad Zarif also mentioned in his Tuesday evening meeting with members of the National Security Commission that 'two executive orders from the President to the Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization, as well as the request to form a Joint Commission,' are among these responses. On December 18, the Iranian Foreign Minister wrote a letter to Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, requesting the formation of a Joint Commission on the JCPOA to address the 'extension of sanctions against Iran' by the United States. On December 15, Hassan Rouhani also requested in a letter to the Atomic Energy Organization to plan for the construction of ships with nuclear fuel and the fuel for these ships. 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, led and coordinated by 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 convened several times, with the main topics discussed being the sale of Iran's heavy water, the problems faced by European banks in participating in Iran, and the presentation of 'five or six serious cases' by Iran regarding the 'violation of the spirit of the JCPOA' by the United States.