Salehi: We Will Fulfill Our Nuclear Commitments According to Schedule

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, stated that the Islamic Republic will implement its commitments under the nuclear agreement with world powers according to schedule. Mr. Salehi, who is on a trip to Japan, mentioned on Thursday, November 5, that international sanctions against Iran will be lifted by the end of this calendar year. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also recently stated that sanctions against Iran will be lifted by the end of 2015. In a brief interview with Reuters following talks with Japanese officials, Salehi emphasized that 'we will do everything the President has ordered.' A few days earlier, Salehi had mentioned that the Islamic Republic has begun implementing the JCPOA or the nuclear agreement by reducing the number of its centrifuges. Meanwhile, several members of parliament have strongly protested Iran's actions before the lifting of sanctions. Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, responded to these concerns on Tuesday, November 3, stating that 'no centrifuges have been dismantled yet, and we are in the preliminary stages of work.' According to the comprehensive nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, the Islamic Republic is required to reduce or halt a significant portion of its nuclear program before the lifting or suspension of sanctions against Iran.