Nikki Haley: Iran Should Not Be Allowed to Take the World Hostage with the Nuclear Agreement

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, reacted on Tuesday to Hassan Rouhani's statements regarding Iran's withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, the JCPOA, stating that Iran must be held accountable for its missile tests, support for terrorism, human rights violations, and violations of Security Council resolutions. According to Reuters, Haley made these remarks in response to the Iranian president's comments in parliament, where he said that if the U.S. violates the nuclear agreement, Iran would return to its pre-agreement status within hours. The U.S. ambassador to the UN stated in a statement: 'Iran should not be allowed to take the world hostage by using the nuclear agreement.' She added that the recent U.S. sanctions against Iran are not related to the nuclear agreement with Tehran. In this context, it is reported that Haley will travel to Vienna, the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to meet with inspectors and discuss Iran's nuclear activities. According to Tasnim, Hassan Rouhani emphasized Iran's commitment to the nuclear agreement with six world powers, addressing the U.S. government by saying: 'They should know that the failed experience of sanctions and imposition ultimately brought their past governments to the negotiating table, and if they wish to return to those experiences, certainly Iran will return to a much more advanced situation than at the beginning of the negotiations in a very short time — not in weeks and months, but in hours and days.' Iran and six world powers reached an agreement on the 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' (JCPOA) in July 2015 in Vienna. Under this agreement, Iran suspended many of its nuclear activities, and in return, international nuclear sanctions against Iran were suspended or lifted. Since Donald Trump's presidency, the U.S. has imposed new sanctions against the Islamic Republic due to some 'destabilizing behaviors' of Iran that the United States believes are contrary to the spirit of the nuclear agreement. The U.S. also believes that since Iran is supposed to contribute to peace and stability in the region and globally based on the nuclear agreement, some of Iran's actions that undermine regional and international peace and stability violate the spirit of this agreement. Previously, U.S. officials expressed their concerns regarding Iran's missile tests and regional activities. Security Council Resolution 2231, issued after the Vienna nuclear agreement to endorse it, called on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Iran argues that its missile tests are not in violation of the nuclear agreement, stating that 'the tested missiles were not tested for carrying nuclear warheads.' Iran's action in testing the 'Simorgh' satellite launch vehicle on July 27 of this year drew international reactions. On August 2, the U.S., Britain, France, and Germany warned the United Nations that Iran had taken a 'threatening and provocative step' by testing a missile capable of carrying a satellite into space and called for the UN Secretary-General to address this issue. In this context, reactions from Tehran and Moscow to the U.S. doubts about Iran's compliance with the JCPOA include Trump stating, 'I don't think Iran is adhering to the spirit of the nuclear agreement,' Haley saying that the Security Council has failed to provide an effective response to Iran's actions, and Rouhani asserting, 'We will not overlook U.S. violations and will stand against them.'