U.S. House of Representatives Suspends Bill for Increased Oversight on JCPOA

On Wednesday, January 13, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill for increased oversight of the implementation of the JCPOA but then suddenly suspended it because one-third of the representatives did not participate in the voting. This bill prohibits the lifting of U.S. sanctions against certain individuals and financial institutions until their non-involvement in Iran's ballistic missile program and terrorist operations is proven. Reports indicate that Republican leaders plan to bring the bill back to a vote on January 25 to attract more representatives' support. The House bill, which was suspended after approval, grants more powers to legislative bodies in the U.S. regarding oversight of the implementation of the nuclear agreement with Iran. This bill was supported by Republican members of the House. According to the Associated Press, House members approved the bill with 191 votes in favor and 106 against. Nearly one-third of members, 134 representatives, did not participate in this vote. This voting took place less than 24 hours after the detention and subsequent release of 10 U.S. Navy sailors by Iran, who had entered Iranian territorial waters several kilometers. Supporters of this bill have stated that the detention of American sailors was one of the reasons for supporting it. Republicans have exploited this event to emphasize once again that the Iranian government cannot be trusted. They claim that since the nuclear agreement with Iran in July of this year, Iran has tested new ballistic missiles, which is a clear violation of United Nations arms sanctions, and has continued to support terrorism in the region. Many American lawmakers are calling for increased sanctions on Iran due to these tests and Tehran's refusal to release Iranian-American detainees. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated: 'When Iran behaves this way, in a few days when its hands are full of money... what other actions are we going to witness from the Revolutionary Guards?' The Islamic Republic of Iran hopes that with the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) within the next week, it will gain access to billions of dollars of its blocked assets in foreign banks as a result of the lifting of sanctions. The White House states that the House bill could prevent the implementation of the nuclear agreement with Iran, and if it ultimately reaches the president to become law, Barack Obama will veto it. Given that Iran has complied with its commitments under this agreement, the U.S. government is expected to soon lift some of Iran's sanctions.