U.S. Defense Secretary Calls for Conditional Support from Trump Administration for JCPOA

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis called for conditional support from the Trump administration for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as President Donald Trump prepares to announce whether Iran has adhered to the nuclear agreement in mid-October. According to Reuters, Mattis stated on Tuesday, October 3, that he supports the United States remaining in the JCPOA, provided that Washington concludes Iran is compliant with the nuclear deal and that it serves American interests. Speaking at a Senate Q&A session, he emphasized, "The point I want to make is that if we can conclude that this (agreement) better serves our interests, then it is clear that we should remain in it." He added, "In this context, I believe that in the absence of contrary evidence, the president should consider remaining in this agreement." A senator asked Mattis if he believes the JCPOA aligns with U.S. national interests, to which he replied, "Yes, Senator. I believe it does." Iran and six world powers, including the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the UK, along with Germany, reached a comprehensive agreement in July 2015 to resolve Tehran's nuclear program, under which the Islamic Republic curtailed some of its sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting or suspension of international sanctions. While four European countries and China support this agreement, President Trump has repeatedly criticized the JCPOA since his 2016 election campaign, describing it as the worst deal he has ever seen. On September 19, he harshly criticized the agreement again at the United Nations General Assembly, calling it a "shameful" deal for the United States. Washington must report to Congress by October 15 on whether Iran has adhered to the JCPOA in the past three months, a determination that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has suggested Trump may not confirm. If the Trump administration does not affirm Iran's compliance in its upcoming report, the U.S. Congress will have 60 days to decide whether to reinstate the sanctions that were lifted under the JCPOA. The U.S. president has stated that he has made his decision on this matter but has not yet announced it. Iran has indicated that if the U.S. withdraws, Tehran will also consider exiting the JCPOA and other options.