Iran worried US is moving away from nuclear deal, says expert

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By CGTN's World Insight

The United States on Monday certified that Iran was in compliance with a key nuclear deal struck with world powers in July 2015, but Tehran is becoming increasingly worried about Washington’s commitment to the accord, according to an Iranian expert.

“The Iranians feel that the United States is moving further away from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” Mohammad Marandi, dean of the world studies faculty at the University of Tehran, told CGTN’s World Insight.

“The belief in Tehran is that under President Obama, the United States gradually began to violate the agreement increasingly as time went by. And Congress as well as the Senate passed laws that were in conflict with the agreement.”

“But after Trump, there has been an escalation of sorts. Right now we see the Congress and the US Senate are on the verge of passing new sanctions against Iran. And President Trump has been calling on countries not to do trade with Iran… which explicitly contravenes the text of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” Marandi noted.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif greets United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York City, on July 17, 2017. /AFP Photo

Iran and six world powers reached a comprehensive agreement in July 2015, under which Iran would limit its nuclear program in exchange for the international community lifting long-term sanctions.

US President Donald Trump has however repeatedly criticized the agreement, calling it one of the worst deals in history.

On Monday, US officials said the agreement will stay in place for now but Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, visiting New York, said Iran was receiving "contradictory signals" from the US administration about the fate of the deal.

“If the US tears up the agreement, ultimately what happens is that the end game becomes unclear,” Marandi noted.

“The permanent UN resolutions that have been put on hold, their status will be unclear. So, if the United States exits the agreement, then I think it’s quite possible the Iranians will see that it’s useless,” he warned.

World Insight with Tian Wei is a 45-minute global affairs and debate show on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 10.15 p.m. BJT (1415GMT), with rebroadcasts at 4.15 a.m. BJT (2015GMT).