IAEA Hopeful: JCPOA Can Be Saved by Goodwill Not Sanctions

EghtesadOnline: The 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the remaining signatories can still be saved after the US withdrawal, but Iran must return to the full implementation of its commitments and in return be offered goodwill instead of sanctions, the Slovak candidate to head the UN nuclear agency said.

News ID: ۷۴۸۶۱۸

05 October 2019

Marta Ziakova, who is running for the post of International Atomic Energy Agency chief, said on Thursday that the remaining parties, the so-called E3+2 countries—China, France and Germany, plus Russia and the United Kingdom, that are still committed to the deal should find a way to help Iran in this difficult situation [to show] that deals should be honored, Reuters reported.

“Iran hasn’t got much for keeping its part of the deal so far but it has to return to the full implementation of its commitments under the deal [formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action],” Financial Tribune quoted her as saying.

Tension has risen between longtime foes Tehran and Washington since last year when US President Donald Trump quit the nuclear pact and imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic that were lifted under the agreement.

In retaliation for the US “maximum pressure” policy, Iran has gradually reduced its commitments to the pact and plans to go further if the European parties fail to keep their promises to shield Iran’s economy from US penalties.

Need for Int’l Political Solution

It was very unfortunate for the USA to withdraw from the deal without any renegotiations at first, but at the same time it was not fortunate of Iran to start violating its nuclear-related commitments, Ziakova added.

“This is why we now we find ourselves in a vicious circle that requires a political solution to be broken,” she said.

“Nevertheless, there is always a point of return. There are examples of countries that have given up nuclear weapons program in the past.”

Tehran says its nuclear activities are only for peaceful purposes, denying any military aspects to its program.

Iran will continue reducing its commitments under its 2015 nuclear deal until it reaches the “desired result”, Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, according to his official website.

Trump wants to renegotiate a deal that ends Iran’s ballistic missile program and halts its support for allied groups across the Middle East, from Syria to Yemen.

The Iran deal only removes sanctions in return for curbing Iran’s civilian nuclear program, and nothing else.

Iran’s top officials have ruled out talks on the country’s defense capabilities.

IAEA chief Yukiya Amano died in July. The IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors hopes to pick his successor this month.

Four candidates have been nominated, namely Amano’s former right-hand man Cornel Feruta of Romania, Argentina’s Ambassador to IAEA Rafael Grossi, nuclear test-ban body chief Lassina Zerbo of Burkina Faso, and Ziakova.