Senator Corker: Strict Implementation of the JCPOA May Lead Iran to Violate It

Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated on Wednesday, July 4, that a bill imposing sanctions on Iran and Russia will soon be approved in the Senate. He also mentioned that a very strict implementation of the nuclear agreement with Iran is likely to cause Tehran to fail to meet its commitments and violate the agreement. In an interview with David Ignatius of the Washington Post, Corker said that the sanctions bill against Iran and Russia, excluding North Korea, will be quickly approved in the Senate, and they will later negotiate with the House of Representatives regarding North Korean sanctions. The House of Representatives unanimously passed the sanctions bill against Iran, Russia, and North Korea with 419 votes in favor and three against on Tuesday, August 3. He further referred to the approach towards the nuclear agreement with Iran, stating that since the agreement (between Iran and six world powers) was reached, the U.S. has lost all its leverage and influence. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was agreed upon in July 2015, Iran suspended many of its nuclear activities, and international nuclear sanctions against it were suspended or lifted. This Republican senator continued by saying that Iran is implementing the nuclear agreement but is committing some technical violations and sometimes fully adheres to it. He noted that the new sanctions proposal against Iran's activities in Congress is unfortunate because the nuclear agreement with Iran was the cornerstone of Barack Obama's Middle East policy, leading to numerous problems in the region that they are now trying to address (with current actions) to restore balance. Therefore, they are countering these activities. The Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee also stated that the nuclear agreement can only be torn up when allied countries are on board with the U.S. Donald Trump, the U.S. President, was a staunch critic of Barack Obama's agreement with Iran during the 2016 election campaign and stated that he would tear up the agreement if he came to power. In March 2016, at the AIPAC meeting, the Israeli lobby in the U.S., he said, 'My first priority is to tear up this disastrous agreement with Iran.' Corker added in another part of the interview that the nuclear agreement must be implemented strictly, and Iran is now obligated to comply with it. He stated that they currently want access to various facilities in Iran. Senator Corker said that if Iran does not allow access to these facilities, then the necessary opportunity will arise. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee emphasized that what you want is for Iran to violate the nuclear agreement. The U.S. should not be the one to disrupt the nuclear agreement because they need their allies. Corker stated that the nuclear agreement with Iran has regional implications since Sunni countries in the region also want to enrich uranium. He also clarified that Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, also wants to negotiate to end Iran's uranium enrichment. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee warned that one should not seek to annul the nuclear agreement without a clear plan and strategy, as it could create new problems for the U.S. Corker stated that this agreement should be renegotiated, and the timing for this should be when a clear strategic outcome can be achieved, and allies can be brought along. If we implement the nuclear agreement too strictly and demand cooperation from Iran, it is likely that Iran will not adhere to it, and then they will be the ones who have violated the agreement. While Corker is calling for strict implementation of the nuclear agreement with Iran, Donald Trump warned yesterday that if it is confirmed that Iran has not adhered to the agreement, it will create very significant problems for them. The U.S. President stated that Iran has become 'bolder' after the nuclear agreement, but 'this is not something that will continue indefinitely.'