Nikki Haley: The Nuclear Agreement with Iran Was Never Amendable

The U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations states that the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, was "never amendable" and added, "You can make this agreement better, but you cannot turn it into a good agreement." Nikki Haley, who participated in a meeting at the "Foundation for Defense of Democracies" on Tuesday, September 6, alongside Brian Hook, head of the Iran Action Group at the U.S. State Department, said that Iran is part of the broader challenge faced by Donald Trump's administration regarding nuclear non-proliferation among America's adversaries. Referring to North Korea's nuclear and missile program, she stated, "Look at North Korea. See how we are pressuring them to stop. We cannot stop Iran (if it acquires nuclear weapons). The Russians did that, the Chinese also acquired nuclear weapons. We must defend America at every turn." Donald Trump, the President of the United States, withdrew from the JCPOA on May 8 of this year and reinstated part of the sanctions that had been suspended against Tehran as a result of this agreement in mid-August. The second phase of sanctions, which will be more severe, is set to be implemented from November 4 of this year. The U.S. permanent representative criticized the payment of money to Iran during Barack Obama's administration, stating, "When you give millions of dollars in cash and they do not stop their ballistic missile tests, do not cease arms sales, and continue to support terrorism, I see them as another North Korea." Ms. Haley emphasized, "When you help them and they continue their bad behavior, without being accountable to anyone, the day will come when we talk about Iran the same way we talk about North Korea now." This U.S. official asserted that "if the JCPOA continued, Iran would have become North Korea," and there was no possibility of amending this "bad agreement." She stated that it is not only the U.S. that considers the nuclear agreement with Iran to be "flawed," "Honestly, other countries that were parties to the agreement with Iran have come to me and said, 'We are aware. You are right. But since everyone likes this agreement, and their signatures are on the JCPOA and they have to say it has been successful, they have come to terms with it.'" The U.S. representative said that the negotiating parties with Iran "do not want to admit they made a mistake, even though their intentions were good." The five countries of Russia, China, France, the UK, and Germany have announced their adherence to the JCPOA and criticized the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement. Despite many major European companies exiting the Iranian market due to fears of U.S. sanctions, the European Union has stated that it is seeking to provide incentives to Tehran to remain in the JCPOA. Despite months passing, this promise has yet to be realized, and Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, threatened on Tuesday during a phone call with Emmanuel Macron, his French counterpart, that "if the future of the European implementation program regarding guarantees for financial and monetary channels, oil, insurance, and transportation is not clear," the Islamic Republic "will take other actions." He did not provide further details in this regard.