Kerry Appoints Steven Mull as Senior Coordinator for JCPOA

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, appointed Steven Mull, the former U.S. ambassador to Poland, as the primary coordinator for the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This appointment comes after the Senate's review period for the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers has concluded. The efforts of U.S. Republicans to reject this agreement ultimately went nowhere, and as a result, its implementation is effectively beginning. In a statement released on September 17, following Mull's selection, Kerry stated that he would 'lead inter-agency efforts.' According to the U.S. Secretary of State, the goal is to 'ensure the implementation of Iran's commitments under the JCPOA. It is also important to ensure that we and our allies take reciprocal actions regarding sanctions in response to Iran's actions.' A month prior, reports indicated that Steven Mull was being appointed as the senior coordinator for reciprocal actions in the nuclear agreement. According to information published on the U.S. State Department's website, Mull served as the U.S. ambassador to Poland. Between 2010 and 2012, he was an executive assistant at the State Department, and in 2008, he was an advisor to William Burns, the then-Deputy Secretary of State. Burns coordinated the State Department's diplomatic activities related to Iran at that time and played a significant role in the recent negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Steven Mull has over three decades of experience in the U.S. State Department. Under the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and world powers, of which Mull will be the senior coordinator, Iran will impose restrictions on a significant portion of its nuclear activities. The peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program will also be subject to regular inspections and verification. In return, international sanctions, as well as U.S. and EU sanctions against Tehran's nuclear program, will be lifted. According to Reuters, officials say that in the coming months, Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United States, and world powers will prepare for the formal implementation of the nuclear agreement.