Rouhani Under Great Pressure to Leave Nuclear Deal: MP

Alireza Rahimi said both Iran and the other signatories to the Iran nuclear deal officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would like to keep the agreement in place.

“But whether or not they can practically preserve the JCPOA depends on the Europeans’ behaviour as they have made us doubtful,” said Rahimi, a member of the Parliament’s Presiding Board.

“In other words, the Europeans’ performance caused Iran to doubt about their ability and seriousness to preserve the JCPOA despite the fact that all parties [to deal] except the United States agree on the necessity [to preserve the JCPOA],” the MP added.

He said the Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) mechanism and the three steps Iran took to reduce its commitments under the JCPOA were a good opportunity for the Europeans to live up to their obligations under the nuclear deal.

“But they failed to put their will into practice, and naturally, we should envisage an ambiguous future for the JCPOA despite the necessity for this agreement [to remain in place],” he noted.

He said there is much pressure inside Iran to withdraw from the JCPOA.

“In the meantime, the Americans’ animosity and their undermining the JCPOA and making the deal ineffective is something which prompted Iran to take the four steps because Iran has not been able to reap the benefits of the JCPOA in practice,” he said.

The member of parliament said Iran has no plans to pull out of the JCPOA for now, “but we are facing serious doubts with regards to the efficiency of the JCPOA.”

As for how long Iran will remain in the nuclear deal, Rahimi said it depends on the Europeans.

“The time will be determined by the Supreme Board to Supervise the JCPOA; i.e., it depends on the variables and elements that the Europeans show in practice, but it is foreseeable that Iran’s fifth step will determine the destiny of this international agreement,” he said.