The Obama administration seeks applying new measures in its final months in office to fortify the Joint Comprehensive plan of Action, a senior U.S. official said according to Wall Street Journal.
Action under consideration to support the pact includes steps to provide licenses for more American businesses to enter the Iranian market and the lifting of additional U.S. sanctions, ISNA reported.
Within the Obama administration, officials say they recognize that there is little they can do from a policy perspective if the incoming administration is determined to scuttle the accord. But they plan to make a forceful case to the president-elect’s team of the grim consequences they believe the U.S. would face if it ended up being blamed for the agreement’s failure.
“Our bet is when they look at this and analyze what the implications would be for tearing up the deal, they won’t do it,” a senior administration official said. “But as for what they’ll actually do? Who knows?”
Another senior U.S. official said “it’s very hard to tear up the deal” because U.S. allies and partners, including Russia and China, are committed to it. But, the official said, the “most important thing we can do is show that it’s working.”
Administration officials said they haven’t yet begun conversations on the Iran deal with the officials Mr. Trump has deployed across the government to facilitate his transition into office. They also are unsure whether those Trump officials are the ones they need to persuade.