The U.S. Government Rejects 'Secret Exemptions' for Iran's Nuclear Deal

The White House and the U.S. State Department have rejected a recent report by the 'Institute for Science and International Security' regarding the granting of 'secret exemptions' to Iran for the timely implementation of the nuclear agreement. They state that Iran has complied with its commitments and remains committed. A U.S. State Department spokesperson, in response to reporters' questions about the report on the agreement among the 1+5 group members regarding the granting of 'secret exemptions' to Iran, said there has been no flexibility and Iran has adhered to the limitations. Reuters, citing the 'Institute for Science and International Security' (ISIS), published a report on September 2, stating that the 'Joint Commission of the JCPOA' had granted exemptions to Iran to prepare 'some nuclear facilities' by January 16 for the implementation of the nuclear agreement. If such exemptions were not granted, timely implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the rapid lifting of sanctions would have been impossible. The Joint Commission of the JCPOA includes representatives from six countries involved in negotiations with Iran as well as representatives from Iran itself and oversees the implementation of the nuclear agreement. Based on these 'exemptions', Iran was allowed to hold more low-enriched uranium than specified in the agreement; the permitted amount is 300 kilograms. John Kirby, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, rejected this claim and stated that Iran is only allowed to hold the 300 kilograms and has 'never exceeded this limit'. However, regarding some questions related to the Reuters report and the 'Institute for Science and International Security', Mr. Kirby acknowledged that he could not delve into certain details. According to Mr. Kirby, the principle of confidentiality of the Joint Commission's activities is mentioned in its working principles; until the Commission decides otherwise. The U.S. State Department spokesperson stated that Iran's commitments under the JCPOA have not changed, and the Joint Commission has shown no flexibility regarding these commitments and will not do so. Kirby stated that the Commission has not granted any exemptions to Iran to acquire materials that fall outside the scope of the JCPOA and would lead to its violation. The U.S. State Department spokesperson also emphasized that Congress has been informed about the activities of the Joint Commission and the government continues to keep Congress updated on the work of this Commission. John Kirby also stated that the U.S. government is prepared to answer any potential questions from Congress members regarding the report. The White House has also stated that Washington and its allies have not allowed Tehran to violate its commitments and that 'any claims to the contrary are completely false, including any claims that we advanced the timeline for the implementation of the JCPOA before Iran fulfilled all its commitments.' The White House statement emphasized that the International Atomic Energy Agency has also verified that Iran does not have access to materials outside the scope of the JCPOA. The statement mentioned that members of the Joint Commission meet regularly and this matter is not confidential. At the same time, their duty is to review the implementation of the JCPOA, and the U.S. government regularly and comprehensively informs Congress about the Commission's performance. Josh Earnest, the White House spokesperson, also stated without going into the full details of the report that Iran is fulfilling its commitments, and this is not his personal opinion but a fact confirmed by international experts. Mr. Earnest also rejected the granting of exemptions to Iran for the timely implementation of the JCPOA, stating that there was no deadline on the calendar; the deadline was Iran's fulfillment of its commitments to the nuclear agreement. Iran and six world powers reached a historic agreement last month that significantly limited Iran's nuclear activities while leading to the lifting of nuclear sanctions. This agreement reached implementation in mid-January, and according to the parties involved, commitments to it and its implementation continue.