29 Mar 2024
Sputnik News- The Saudi and Israeli lobbies are pushing the US president to rip up the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran, but Trump will find it difficult to do so given the strength of international support for the deal, Middle Eastern expert Vladimir Sazhin told Sputnik.

The US has added 18 Iranian entities and individuals toits sanctions list, alleging that they support Irans ballistic missile program, the Iranian military or Iran-based criminal organizations.

The US "remains deeply concerned aboutIran's malign activities acrossthe Middle East which undermine regional stability, security, and prosperity," State Department spokeswomanHeather Nauert said July 18.

The US alleges that Iran "continues totest and develop ballistic missiles," indefiance ofa UN resolution and theJoint Comprehensive Plan ofAction(JCPOA) agreed towithsix world powers in2015, which put limits onIran's nuclear program inreturn forthe lifting ofsanctions.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the nuclear deal withIran and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the new sanctions are aviolation ofthe JCPOAand seek toundermine the accord.

"They have been talking about 'scrapping the deal,'" he said. "Then they came torealize that would not be globally welcome. So now they are trying tomake it impossible forIran tobenefit."

Despite the best efforts ofthe US torip upthe deal, Washington is unlikely tosucceed because ofinternational support forthe JCPOA, expert inMiddle Eastern affairsVladimir Sazhintold Sputnik.
"On the other hand, Europe and the European Union have always looked withgreat hope atIran asa possible partner intheir business projects. In addition, the removal ofsanctions asa result ofthe JCPOA is also beneficial forChina, Japan, South Korea, India and so on these countries have always been interested indeveloping economic cooperation withIran," Sazhin explained.


"In the event ofwithdrawal fromthe JCPOA, the United States risks becoming an outcast amongthe Europeans and Asians who are willing todevelop a comprehensive dialogue withTehran. In January last year, the terms ofthe JCPOA started being practically fulfilled and the process oflifting sanctions was launched inparallel. A lot ofmultinational companies, including automobile and oil companies, are already returning toIran."


As a result, the White House is unlikely toexit the JCPOA. However, the Trump administration seems likely tocontinue imposing sanctions onIran, inspite ofthe deal.
"Trump and his administration, gripped byIranophobia that is supported bythe Saudi and Israeli lobbies, can't reduce the fervor ofpolitical, diplomatic and economic confrontation withIran. Moreover, the nuclear deal doesn't oblige Washington tosuspend or not toimpose sanctions againstIran asa punishment forother non-nuclear 'sins.'"


In imposing more sanctions againstIran, the US is implementing its obligations underthe JCPOA "very badly," Mikhail Ulyanov, head ofthe Russian Foreign Ministry's Department forNon-Proliferation and Arms Control, said.
"In the appendix tothe Joint Comprehensive Action Plan, there is indeed a call forIran torefrain fromlaunching ballistic missiles, but, firstly, it is just an appeal, not an obligation. Sanctions forfailing tocomply withthis call are ridiculous,"Ulyanov told RIA Novosti onThursday.


"And, secondly, if you look closely atthe language ofthe relevant provisions this is Appendix B tothe plan ofthe UN Security Council resolution it is only aboutmissilesthat are specifically designed insuch a way asto be able todeliver weapons ofmass destruction. No one has been able so far toprove that the missiles that Iran tested had been specially designed inthat way and, therefore, the cause forany punishment is non-existent," the Russian diplomat stressed.
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