Senior US Coordinator for JCPOA Visits China, Japan, and South Korea

On Tuesday, July 5, the US State Department announced that Stephen Mull, the senior US coordinator for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), will lead a delegation to Japan, China, and South Korea to support the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement with six world powers. The statement from the department noted that Mull will visit Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo from July 5 to July 8 to meet with officials from these countries regarding the implementation of the JCPOA. It added that a team of experts and specialists will accompany Mull to consult with senior officials in these countries on supporting the implementation of the JCPOA. While the US State Department claims that this delegation is traveling to these countries in support of the JCPOA's implementation, several Iranian officials have previously accused the US of obstructing any fundamental change in Iran's economic and financial relations with global markets. Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, warned on July 1 that if the US and Western countries present the nuclear agreement with Tehran 'in a different and preferred manner,' the agreement will collapse. Larijani accused the US of stepping onto a 'crooked path' and stated that they 'want to pressure the Islamic Republic of Iran under other pretexts.' 'Implementation of the JCPOA without violation will continue.' In this context, Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, provided explanations regarding the JCPOA's implementation process during a closed session of the Iranian Parliament on July 6. According to IRNA, Shamkhani reported on the latest status of the JCPOA's implementation, referring to 'the US's efforts to maintain the structure of sanctions and limit the defensive capabilities and regional power of the Islamic Republic.' He stated that the necessary actions required by responsible agencies are being pursued with seriousness based on the strategies outlined in the letter of October 21 from Iran's leader. The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council emphasized that the implementation of the JCPOA without violation will continue while maintaining the strategies of the Islamic Republic without being influenced by the US's attempts to hold hostage Iran's revolutionary policies in the region. Shamkhani noted that the oversight committee for the JCPOA has held four specialized sessions to closely examine the implementation process, adding that the openings created in the fields of energy, transportation, banking, insurance, and investment, as well as the analysis of challenges related to the persistence of some sanctions and the impact of initial sanctions and non-JCPOA factors in this process, have been among the committee's activities.