US ends waivers for Iran’s civil nuclear programs in latest maximum pressure campaign move

The United States announced the end of waivers that allowed countries to cooperate with Iran on civil nuclear projects under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Wednesday that the waivers will end following a 60-day wind-down period that is meant to allow businesses to cease operations.

“I am announcing the end of the sanctions waiver covering all remaining JCPOA-originating nuclear projects in Iran — the Arak reactor conversion, the provision of enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor, and the export of Iran’s spent and scrap research reactor fuel,” Pompeo said in a statement.

The top US diplomat said that an exception would be made to provide a 90-day extension for the waiver that covers ongoing international support to Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 to ensure safety of operations. “We will continue to closely monitor all developments in Iran’s nuclear program and can modify this waiver at any time,” Pompeo said.

Pompeo also announced that the US will be imposing sanctions on the Iran nuclear officials, Majid Agha’i and Amjad Sazgar, “for engaging or attempting to engage in activities that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”

The announcement is the latest increment in the Trump administration’s maximum pressure campaign on Iran, which Pompeo has said is meant to change Tehran’s behaviour.

“Politically, such waivers don’t square with a policy of maximum pressure,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

European nations and other parties to the nuclear deal, including Russia and China, have continued to work with Iran within the framework of the 2015 pact, which eased economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. The waivers allowed companies from these countries to work with Iran on civil nuclear projects.

(CNN)

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

Pantami Used Armed Officers To Evict Our Staff, Abike Dabiri Alleges
The chairman, Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has alleged that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami used armed security men to eject NIDCOM from the offices which they occupied in the NCC building located at Mbora District… Read full story

Naira Set To Rally As CBN, ABCON Finalise BDCs’ Resumption Of Forex Sale
The naira is facing its greatest risk from the COVID-19 pandemic as currency speculators continue to make spurious demand for dollar with the hope of making good returns from the rising gaps between… Read full story