Recent US Sanctions Violate Iran Nuclear Deal: Cleric
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The US Congress’ recent decision to renew sanctions against Iran runs counter to Washington’s commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a senior Iranian cleric said Friday.
Delivering a speech to worshippers in Tehran on Friday, Ayatollah Kazem Seddiqi took a swipe at the US for lack of commitment to the JCPOA, a nuclear deal between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
He also slammed the recent move in the US Congress to extend anti-Iran sanctions as a violation of the nuclear deal, stressing that it will draw Iran’s reaction.
The comments came after the US lawmakers passed a bill on November 15, renewing sanctions on Iran for 10 years. The House of Representatives voted 419 to one for a 10-year reauthorization of the Iran Sanctions Act, or ISA, a law first adopted in 1996 to punish investments in Iran’s energy industry.
On Wednesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei had said that the implementation of the anti-Iran bill will translate into breach of the JCPOA.
“If such extension (of anti-Iran sanctions) is implemented and comes into force (in the US), it will be definitely a violation of the JCPOA,” the Leader said, underscoring, “They (Americans) should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran will certainly show reaction to it.”
