Iran opposes any 'step-by-step' easing of US sanctions

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill


BY TAL AXELROD - 04/03/21 09:57 AM EDT

Iran rejected any “step-by-step” measures for it to rejoin the Obama-era deal over its nuclear program, reiterating that the U.S. must end all sanctions before it slaps limits on its uranium enrichment.

In an interview with Iranian state broadcaster Press TV on Saturday, Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Iran will stick to its stance “as has been clearly stated many times” that there must be immediate sanctions relief for there for be any progress in nuclear negotiations.

“The definitive policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the lifting of all US sanctions, whether those which Trump reimposed after withdrawing from the JCPOA or those which he initiated, as well as sanctions imposed under any other heading,” he said, referring to the nuclear deal reached under the Obama administration.

“Obviously, this lifting of sanctions must be effective and must be verified by Iran.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/546298-iran-opposes-any-step-by-step-easing-of-us

[EndlessWire]

1. It just seems like

a pissing contest. Iran is pretty confident in the meeting lineup, I guess, but excluding the US is just stupid. We hold the sanctions, and they don't want to talk?

Well, make it hard on yourselves, then...

[WHITT]

2. Because

the U.S. is in violation of the agreement, Iran is not. Just imagine if it were the other way around. What's the point of signing an agreement if you're not going to abide by the agreement you signed?

[Worried2020]

3. "What's the point of signing an agreement if . . . . "

.
.

The point is, you get what you want, then renege . . .

USA was created with treaty agreements that they consistently broke treaty after treaty, until they had almost the whole continent.

USA would not exist were it not for the hundreds of broken treaties.

Sad, huh?

W

[EX500rider]

4. 'the U.S. is in violation of the agreement, Iran is not."

Actually Iran is in violation:
Last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran was enriching uranium up to 20 percent purity, and that its enriched-uranium stockpile had reached 14 times the limit established by the 2015 nuclear deal

https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-20-percent-uranium-enrichment-sanctions/31177583.html

[WHITT]

5. No

the U.S. breached the agreement, the other parties are no longer bound by the agreement. Iran cannot be in violation.

[EX500rider]

6. Iran has other signatories to keep happy...

Plus they are in breach of their signing of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, making its nuclear program subject to the IAEA's verification.

[WHITT]

7. But

Iran has other signatories to keep happy...

The other signatories are well aware that the U.S. violated the agreement.

Plus they are in breach of their signing of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, making its nuclear program subject to the IAEA's verification.

Iran is in full compliance with the NPT. Perhaps you're thinking of Israel?

[EX500rider]

9. Israel is not a signer to the NPT

Since the disclosure in 2002 of its clandestine nuclear program, Iran has been repeatedly found in breach of its NPT Safeguards Agreement and Subsidiary Arrangements, by conducting nuclear activities which it had not declared to the IAEA and by failing to declare the construction of nuclear facilities

July 1, 2019: Iran announces that it breached the 300 kilogram limit on uranium gas enriched to 3.67 percent (202 kilograms of uranium by weight). The IAEA confirms that Iran has exceeded the limit.

November 7, 2019: Acting-Director General Cornel Feruta convenes a special meeting of the IAEA’s Board of Governors and reported that the agency “detected natural uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at a location in Iran not declared to the agency.”

March 3, 2020: The IAEA reports that Iran’s stockpile has exceeded 1,000 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 4.5 percent, and that Iran is enriching uranium using additional centrifuges at the Fordow facility.

The IAEA releases a second report detailing Iran’s noncompliance with the Agency’s investigation into three locations possibly associated with Iran’s nuclear-related activities. According to the IAEA, Iran has not responded to three separate letters from the Agency requesting additional information and access.

[WHITT]

10. Indeed

Israel is not a signer to the NPT

Exactly.

That's what makes their nuclear program and nuclear weapons illegal under international law and the NPT.

July 1, 2019: Iran announces that it breached the 300 kilogram limit on uranium gas enriched to 3.67 percent (202 kilograms of uranium by weight). The IAEA confirms that Iran has exceeded the limit.

November 7, 2019: Acting-Director General Cornel Feruta convenes a special meeting of the IAEA’s Board of Governors and reported that the agency “detected natural uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at a location in Iran not declared to the agency.”

March 3, 2020: The IAEA reports that Iran’s stockpile has exceeded 1,000 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 4.5 percent, and that Iran is enriching uranium using additional centrifuges at the Fordow facility.

Those are all, by extension, part of the JCPOA. The JCPOA no longer exists.

[EX500rider]

11. detected natural uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at a location in Iran not declared..

“detected natural uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at a location in Iran not declared to the agency.”
That is a violation of the NPT IAEA's inspection protocols.
And Israel is not in violation of a treaty they never signed.

[WHITT]

12. They Don't Have To Be Signatories

Producing nuclear weapons outside of the NPT is illegal under international law AND a violation of the NPT.

[Mosby]

13. The JCPOA gets its legitimacy

From UNSCR 2231.

it's a binding UN security council resolution.

Still in full force.

[WHITT]

14. The Resolution Is Still In Force

The JCPOA is not.

[EndlessWire]

8. No, they're being stupid.

Isn't Iran the country we gave a whole lot of cash back to, because it was their cash? Yeah, and didn't Trump cite that over and over again as something we did wrong?

And, didn't Trump just withdraw from the agreement lock, stock, and barrel? There is no agreement due to Trump's belligerence.

Now, there's a new guy in town, a guy that sees the usefulness of the agreement and wants to get back to it. But, it doesn't exist anymore.

So, what does Iran do? First, they exclude the US from the table. Then, they issue an ultimatum to the US to drop the sanctions without discussion, 'cause, you know, they just won't deal at all.

They are not sitting in the same position that they were before. If they were smart, they would take a deep breath and talk to ALL the players. Find out what the other guy is thinking. Don't spend years arguing over the shape of the table, because we don't have time for that.

I personally don't care if we save the air fare and Joe gets to do something else besides persuade Iran to be friends. We'll find out what they talked about, anyway. Trump was heading toward a war with them; at least Biden is not.

But, you don't create peace by refusing to talk.

Here's a little ditty I know: "Here lies John. His right was clear, his will was strong. but he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong."