[ad_1]
In the continuing fallout from the assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in Tehran in November, major European powers issued a joint statement this week urging Iran to uphold its commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal. The warning, which followed a A series of staggered measures by the Persian Gulf state sought to guide Iranian officials to respect the progress made on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. It comes at a time when embattled European officials are struggling to hold the embers of the historic agreement together after the US withdrawal in 2018.
The statement from the so-called E3 countries, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, emphasizes that the JCPOA “remains the best, and currently the only, way to monitor and restrict Iran’s nuclear program”, which has been the source of and international tension for decades. The deal, agreed in July 2015 by a coalition of powers known as P5 + 1 (the five permanent nuclear powers plus Germany) and the European Union, put restrictions on Iranian nuclear proliferation in exchange for relaxed economic sanctions. According to the US-based Arms Control Association, these included a cap on enrichment levels for uranium-235 at 3.67%, a ban on heavy water reactors, and regular inspection and monitoring of the nuclear facilities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). By limiting Iran’s nuclear capabilities to exclusively peaceful means, the JCPOA sought to end regional instability caused by possible Iranian proliferation, while softened sanctions between signatories in key sectors, including oil and banking, were designed to bring Iran to the negotiating table.
However, the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement in May 2018 effectively put the agreement on ice. Dr. Ariane Tabatabai, a member of the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the US German Marshall Fund, said the Trump administration’s withdrawal was critical because it reinstated perhaps the most damaging of sanctions against Iran. Despite a European blockade statute, the US decision left negotiators in Brussels with little leverage to force Iran to abide by its agreements. Since then, the country has gradually reduced its commitments under the agreement, including increasing its regulated uranium reserves. Although President Hassan Rouhani has indicated that all measures are reversible with the cooperation of even some of the P5 + 1 partners, skeptics in Tehran have challenged the urgency of reestablishing the partnership without an immediate commitment from the administration of President-elect Joe. Biden.
Criticism of Iran’s actions is further complicated by the unseen aftermath of the murder of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh outside the capital in November. Considered by some to be the “father” of the Iranian nuclear program, Fakhrizadeh’s surprise assassination has pushed tensions with Israel to dangerous levels, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously identified the scientist as a key target in the region. Although the implications for Iran’s nuclear development have yet to be revealed, a bill passed by the Iranian parliament and swiftly passed into law against President Rouhani’s wishes last month forced European diplomats to issue their warning. According to Dr. Tabatabai, the legislation allows Iran to resume enrichment to 20%, a significant stepped step, while also allowing the installation of new advanced centrifuges and heavy water reactors that are critical to the enrichment of uranium needed to create weapons. nuclear. Although the bill does not deny access to IAEA inspectors, it sets a two-month deadline for economic relief related to oil and banking before Iran begins to reduce compliance with monitoring elements that go further. beyond the safeguard agreement.
In their statement on December 7, the E3 countries particularly spoke out against the bill, which they said inhibits a return to the diplomatic discussions necessary to keep the 2015 agreement alive. “Iran’s recent announcement to the IAEA that it intends to install three additional cascades of advanced centrifuges at the Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz is contrary to JCPOA and deeply concerning, “the announcement noted, highlighting concern over international non-proliferation efforts. that the agreement was intended to bind.
The maintenance of nuclear peace in the Middle East comes at a crucial time for the stability of the region. The second assassination of a leading Iranian figure in less than a year, following the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani with a US drone in January, has threatened to reignite tensions between Iran and its rivals, including Israel and the West. To salvage the remnants of the JCPOA deal and keep the peace alive, the E3 powers must solidify their reaction to Iran’s latest breach of the deal and work hard to get the incoming Biden administration back on board quickly, following its takeover. of possession on January 20. As President Rouhani’s comments demonstrate, consolidating a peaceful solution may still be possible even after the Trump administration’s setbacks.
[ad_2]
