Stephen Mull: It Takes Time for the Effects of the JCPOA to Manifest in People's Lives

Stephen Mull, the senior coordinator at the U.S. State Department for the implementation of the nuclear agreement, believes that corruption and lack of transparency in Iran have contributed to the limited impact of lifting nuclear sanctions. However, he emphasizes that only six months have passed since the implementation of this agreement, and it takes time for the effects of the JCPOA to become apparent in people's lives. A year ago, on July 14, Iran and the P5+1 countries reached a final agreement to resolve Iran's nuclear case, and in return for actions by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Western countries agreed to lift comprehensive sanctions against Iran. On the first anniversary of the nuclear agreement, Voice of America interviewed Stephen Mull, who expressed satisfaction with the implementation status of the agreement, stating that if there are issues in its execution, Iran and the U.S. will resolve them through negotiation. In this exclusive interview, Mull answered questions from Voice of America viewers, including one from a Facebook user who asked why problems in Iran are increasing despite the lifting of sanctions. Mull stated that part of this issue relates to internal problems in Iran, including the challenges within the government system, whether there is effective combat against corruption, and the lack of transparency in operations and financial laws. This American diplomat, referring to Iran's complaints about certain financial and banking issues with foreign countries, noted that only six months have passed since the official implementation of the JCPOA, and it takes time for the international community to adapt to the new conditions. The senior coordinator at the U.S. State Department participated in this interview just a week after his trip to Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo to explore the implementation of the agreement and the dimensions of trade between Iran and East Asian countries.