Mogherini: Congress Seems Inclined for the U.S. to Remain in the JCPOA

Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, stated on Tuesday, November 7, that she has received clear signs in negotiations with members of the U.S. Congress indicating that they want the U.S. to remain in the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Mogherini declined to comment on a potential congressional plan to add conditions for suspending nuclear sanctions against Iran. However, she noted, 'I have received clear signs that the intention is for the U.S. to remain in the agreement (JCPOA).' On October 14, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration could not certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement with world powers and left the decision to Congress. The U.S. President believes that Iran's ongoing missile activities and regional policies are 'inconsistent with the spirit of the nuclear agreement.' He also expressed concern over the 'sunset clause' in the Iran nuclear deal, which pertains to the lifting of restrictions after a certain period, fueling worries that 'Iran could achieve the capability to build nuclear weapons even before the agreement expires.' In this context, it is reported that the U.S. government and Congress are seeking to eliminate this 'sunset clause,' which would dismantle oversight and restrictions on Iran's nuclear program. However, other parties involved in the nuclear agreement, namely Russia, China, France, the UK, and Germany, have urged the U.S. President not to withdraw from the JCPOA. In this regard, Mogherini emphasized on Tuesday: 'We wish for the U.S. to continue implementing the nuclear agreement in the future.' She clarified that maintaining the JCPOA is security-wise beneficial for the EU. Nevertheless, the EU foreign policy chief reiterated that there is no possibility for renegotiation regarding the JCPOA. Mogherini stated, 'If you want to reopen part (of the JCPOA) for renegotiation, you would have to renegotiate the entire agreement from scratch.' Iranian officials have previously emphasized that they are not willing to engage in 'secondary negotiations' over the nuclear agreement. In this context, an Associated Press report mentioned a draft plan in Congress following the non-certification of the JCPOA, with Velayati rejecting the possibility of renegotiating or completing the JCPOA. Haley stated: 'The U.S. will remain in the JCPOA for now but seeks a proportional response to Iran's actions.' Germany has warned of the potential for increased tensions if the nuclear agreement is revoked. Amano stated that the agency has had access to all locations up to today. Khamenei criticized those who seek to yield to the U.S. Netanyahu, in a meeting with Theresa May, stated that if the JCPOA is not revoked, its deficiencies must be addressed.