White House Warning: Three New Congressional Bills on Iran Will Be Vetoed

The American White House has strongly opposed three new bills from the House of Representatives regarding Iran, stating that the President has emphasized he will veto any law that hinders the successful implementation of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), and these three bills will also be vetoed if presented to him. Bills HR 5631, 4992, and 5119, according to the White House, obstruct the implementation of the JCPOA and prevent the United States from fulfilling its commitments under the nuclear agreement. The U.S. government has reiterated the necessity of implementing the nuclear agreement as long as Tehran adheres to it, as a deterrent and oversight mechanism for Iran's nuclear program and its implications for U.S. national security. A summary of the proposed bills in the House of Representatives indicates that Bill 4992 relates to financial transactions with Iran. Some monitoring groups say this bill could prevent financial payments to and from Iran, even in a way that benefits an 'Iranian individual.' The White House has stated that this bill would prevent financial relations between Iran and other institutions that are completely outside U.S. territory. The U.S. government has emphasized that it has adhered to existing sanctions related to Iran while simultaneously blocking Tehran's access to its financial system, but it has added that this bill completely prevents Iran's banking transactions outside U.S. territory, which the parties committed to under the JCPOA. The lawmakers presenting the bills claim that Bill 5631, if passed, could hold Iran accountable for 'state-sponsored terrorism,' human rights violations, and other issues. According to the U.S. government, Bill 5631 includes provisions that could disrupt the implementation of the JCPOA and prevent the lifting of certain sanctions as the government is committed to doing so. At the same time, it reinstates sanctions on certain individuals and entities that have been removed from the sanctions list and could obstruct the implementation of 'waivers,' which have been cited as a significant factor in the impact and continuation of sanctions. Bill 5119 pertains to the purchase of heavy water from Iran, which Republican lawmakers in Congress have previously attempted to prevent. The U.S. government is also opposed to this bill: 'Removing heavy water from Iran prevents Iran from accessing materials needed for the potential construction of nuclear weapons while simultaneously allowing global markets and non-nuclear industries to access an important material for areas such as research.' The White House added that these bills, whether separately or together, obstruct Washington's commitments. The U.S. government states that, as it has emphasized, it is 'watching with open eyes' over Tehran's activities regarding support for terrorism, ballistic missile programs, human rights violations, and creating instability in the region, while continuing to fulfill nuclear commitments for the U.S. and its allies is vital to maintaining Iran's nuclear program as a purely peaceful program. The three new bills were introduced in Congress on July 11 (U.S. time). The majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is held by Republicans, who oppose the JCPOA. Previously, the U.S. Congress approved amendments to U.S. financial laws aimed at preventing the sale of Boeing passenger planes to Iran, but it could also prevent the sale of any modern commercial aircraft to Iran. The new bills have been introduced a year after the nuclear agreement began to be implemented. Iranian officials have criticized the way the JCPOA has been implemented by the U.S. Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has also raised criticisms and accused the United States of sabotaging the implementation of the nuclear agreement. U.S. officials, on the other hand, have emphasized that as long as Tehran adheres to the JCPOA, they will also fulfill their commitments. The President of the United States has stated that he will veto any bills that violate the JCPOA.