Salehi on Nuclear Activities: We Can Return in a Way That Surprises the Opponent

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, stated that if the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is violated, the Islamic Republic can return to certain activities in a manner that would surprise the opposing side. In a television program aired on Saturday (December 27), Salehi criticized the United States for its failure to fulfill its commitments under the JCPOA. When asked about the time required for Iran's nuclear activities to become reversible, he said, 'I cannot say these things clearly and openly, but we do not have a bridge behind us.' He added, 'We can clearly see that the U.S. has brought not just one but many jars,' and that Iran does not hesitate to express its positions internationally. Salehi also responded to a question about whether sanctions slow down nuclear discussions, stating, 'In the technical dimension, we are currently doing our work.' He further noted that 'we have encountered problems in sanctions, particularly in banking discussions, and of the commitments made by them {the West}, 70 percent has been operationalized to date.' Salehi mentioned that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) acts politically and that there is a heavy shadow of influential countries over the agency, especially regarding the JCPOA. These remarks come as IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano is set to visit Iran on Sunday, December 28, where he will meet with Salehi and other Iranian officials to discuss various technical and compliance issues related to the JCPOA. Iranian officials have repeatedly criticized the IAEA's performance in recent years, and the agency has denied some of the claims made against it. Salehi's statements represent the latest critical stance from an Iranian official against the U.S. and the IAEA regarding their actions and handling of Iran's nuclear file. On December 3, after the Senate voted to extend the D'Amato law, this official stated that the Islamic Republic had made necessary predictions in this regard and is 'well-prepared,' but does not feel the need to publicly disclose the planned actions. He added that the monitoring board for the JCPOA had previously discussed the 10-year extension of sanctions against Iran and that this board is monitoring the situation and will make necessary decisions accordingly. On the evening of Thursday, December 11, the U.S. Senate voted 99 to 0 to extend its sanctions against Iran for another 10 years. The Iranian Foreign Ministry described the 10-year extension of sanctions by the U.S. Congress as 'contrary' to the nuclear agreement.