JCPOA:
- In 2015, China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU) inked the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran.
- Under it, Iran agreed to make certain changes to its nuclear programme to ensure that it would be peaceful, in return for the UN, the EU and the US diluting their sanctions against it.
- Nuclear related sanctions on Iran were lifted by the US effective January 1, 2016.
Withdrawal from deal by the US:
- Trump’s decision: In May 2018, US President Donald Trump announced that the US will withdraw from the JCPOA and that US sanctions will be re-imposed on Iran.
- Reason for withdrawal: According to Trump, he has three main problems with JCPOA:
- The deal does not have binding restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile programme;
- Many of the restrictions have sunset clauses (i.e. provisions of the JCPOA will become less strict over the years enabling Iran to move towards nuclear-weapon capability); and
- The deal does nothing to prevent Iranian sponsorship of terrorism in its region.
- Counter-arguments to Objections: Trump’s decision is unreasonable for several reasons –
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has consistently maintained that Iran has complied with the strictures of the JCPOA without fail.
- If indeed there are concerns about sunset clause, then efforts should be made to engage Iran in negotiations rather than undo what has already been achieved.
- With regard to Iran’s involvement in the various West Asian conflicts and “promotion of terrorism”, Iran is not the only country engaging in them. And in any case the way out, again, is diplomatic engagement rather than further unsettle an already volatile region.
