Iranian MPs Discuss Bill on Strategic Action for Lifting of Sanctions


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian parliament on Sunday passed a double-urgency motion necessitating “strategic action” for lifting of the sanctions after the failure of the JCPOA’s European parties to fulfill Tehran’s interests and in the wake of assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

The Iranian lawmakers ratified the bill entitled “the strategic measure for the removal of sanctions” on Sunday.

As a motion tagged with a "double urgency" status, it was ratified with 232 votes from a total of 246 MPs attending the session.

Speaking to Tasnim, Chairman of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mojtaba Zonnoor, who had proposed the motion, said the sanctions against Iran were supposed to be removed under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but they were reimposed by the US although Iran was fully committed to the deal as several reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency affirmed Tehran’s compliance.

He also noted that the bill contains a combination of suggestions about Iran’s withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a revision of measures regarding the JCPOA.

The MP added that the bill includes a provision that criminalizes any refusal to carry out the law or prevent its implementation.

Supporters of the motion say they have proposed the bill after a phased reduction in Iran’s commitments to the JCPOA and the Iranian president’s warning to the EU3 about their support for the constant intensification of cruel American sanctions against Tehran.

The lawmakers have also cited the American assassination of top Iranian commander Lt. General Qassem Soleimani, acts of sabotage in Iran’s Natanz nuclear site, the US’ illegal attempts to reinstate the UN sanctions on Iran, Washington’s plots to disrupt foreign cooperation with Iran, and assassination of Fakhrizadeh.

According to the 9-artilce bill, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will be required to produce and store at least 120 kilograms of enriched uranium with 20 percent purity level at the Fordow nuclear facility every year, and to fulfill the country’s peaceful industrial demands with uranium enriched above 20%.

Once ratified, the bill will require the AEOI to increase the monthly output of enriched uranium for various peaceful purposes with different purity levels by at least 500 kg.

The motion also entails uranium enrichment activities with at least 1,000 IR-2M centrifuge machines at Natanz within three months after ratification of the law, and compels the AEOI to launch uranium enrichment as well as research and development activities at the Fordow nuclear site with at least 164 IR-6 centrifuges and increase the number of centrifuge machines to 1,000 by March 2021.

According to the parliamentary bill, the Iranian administration will be required to prevent any foreign access and monitoring beyond the Additional Protocol.