Tillerson: If the U.S. is to remain in the JCPOA, changes must be made

The U.S. Secretary of State says that if the United States is to remain committed to the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, changes must be made. Rex Tillerson expressed concerns on September 18 during an interview with Fox News regarding parts of the nuclear agreement known as 'sunset' provisions. The U.S. Secretary of State referred to the part of the agreement between Iran, the U.S., and five other world powers that gradually lifts some of the current restrictions on Tehran. Tillerson stated, 'If we are to remain in the [nuclear] agreement with Iran, changes must be made. Simply put, the requirements related to the 'sunset' are not a reasonable way forward.' According to the U.S. Secretary of State, these sections place responsibilities on future generations to deal with. His remarks come as President Donald Trump, during his first speech at the United Nations, referred to the Iranian government as a 'rogue' regime and reiterated that the nuclear deal made by his predecessor with Tehran is the 'worst one-sided deal' the U.S. has ever signed. Trump stated that this agreement is a disgrace for the United States. Another staunch critic of the agreement, the Prime Minister of Israel, also called on the global community during his UN speech to abandon the agreement or make significant changes to it. On the other hand, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, who was also speaking at the UN for the first time, defended the agreement with Iran and stated that canceling the JCPOA without a suitable replacement would be a dangerous mistake. France, one of the negotiating parties with Tehran, is a country that has called for strengthening the agreement after 2025. Two days ago, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, told reporters, 'It is vital to preserve this agreement to prevent nuclear proliferation. At a time when we are facing the threat of North Korea, we must maintain this path.' According to Jean-Yves Le Drian, his country is trying to bring this issue up in discussions with the U.S. President and, if necessary, find a way to add an amendment to the agreement after 2025. Iran states that it is committed to the nuclear agreement, and Tehran officials have emphasized that they do not intend to be the first country to leave it. On September 18, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, who was in New York, stated in an interview with CNN, 'The JCPOA is a multilateral international commitment approved by the UN Security Council. Exiting this commitment would have a very heavy cost for the U.S.' The nuclear agreement and the 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' were reached two years ago following negotiations between Iran, the U.S., France, Russia, Germany, the UK, and China. This agreement halted major parts of Iran's nuclear program and, in return, ended nuclear sanctions.