Yukiya Amano: Iran is Complying with Its Commitments Under the JCPOA

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that Iran is currently fulfilling its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Yukiya Amano stated in his quarterly report to the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday, September 10, that it is essential for Iran to continue full compliance with its obligations. He added that the verification of Iran's non-diversion of declared nuclear materials under the safeguards agreement is on the agency's agenda. The Director General also announced that assessments regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear materials and activities in Iran will continue. Iran and six world powers reached a comprehensive agreement in July 2015 to resolve Iran's nuclear program, under which Tehran agreed to suspend or halt many of its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. According to this agreement, the IAEA has been tasked with verifying Tehran's compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA. The agency has confirmed this compliance 12 times over the past three years. The JCPOA has recently been in a precarious situation, and after the United States withdrew from the agreement on May 8 of this year, European countries have called for its continuation and for Iran to fulfill its commitments. Iranian officials have stated that oil purchases and banking transactions are Iran's most important expectations from the European Union. However, European oil purchases from Iran, which were around 740,000 barrels per day in March, fell to 387,000 barrels in August. Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, announced on September 4 that the European Union has until November 5 to 'save the JCPOA.' This deadline is significant as the United States has stated that it will reimpose the second round of sanctions against Iran, which had been suspended due to the JCPOA, starting from November 4. The goal of this round of sanctions is reported to be reducing Iran's oil exports to zero. Some countries are seeking exemptions from these sanctions, but the United States has rejected these requests or is negotiating with some countries regarding this matter. Reports indicate that South Korea has stopped importing crude oil from Iran in line with U.S. sanctions. In this context, Iran has given European countries a deadline until November 5 to 'save the JCPOA.'