Possibility of Nuclear Agreement Review by the Supreme National Security Council Instead of Parliament

The legal advisor to the President of Iran stated: "Whether it is expedient or not" for the Islamic Consultative Assembly to approve the nuclear agreement is currently being reviewed by the "Supreme National Security Council and also by the legal deputy of the presidency." According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Elham Aminzadeh mentioned that "legal provisions require the government to present the text of the agreement to Parliament" and added in her explanation of this issue: "This means there is no obligation for approval. This means Parliament can express its agreement with this agreement or reject it, and whether the approval of Parliament is expedient or not is under review." On Tuesday, August 5, the legal advisor to the President of Iran referred to Articles 77 and 125 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, stating that based on these principles, "the notification" of Parliament regarding international agreements is mentioned, but "at the end of this law, it is stated that agreements must be presented, and there is no obligation for approval." These statements come at a time when Article 77 of the Constitution specifies that "treaties, agreements, contracts, and international accords must be approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly." Article 125 also specifies that the "signature" of these matters "is after the approval of the Islamic Consultative Assembly with the President or his legal representative." On the other hand, Mohammad Reza Bahonar, the Deputy Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated that if the Supreme National Security Council reviews the nuclear agreement and this review is "approved by the Supreme Leader, then there is no need for Parliament to intervene in the matter." According to Mehr News Agency, Mr. Bahonar also assured that Parliament, the government, and the Supreme National Security Council all express a "unified opinion" on the nuclear issue and do not take "separate positions." Hassan Qashqavi, the legal and parliamentary deputy of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also told Mehr News Agency that this ministry "cannot determine or comment on the process of reviewing the agreement" and added: "Until today, in these past years, the process of handling nuclear affairs has been in the Supreme National Security Council, which includes legal entities from all branches." Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, in his speech on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, spoke about the necessity of its approval within Iran without referring to the Iranian nuclear agreement with world powers as an "agreement."