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On May 8th, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that Iran would not withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, the Iranian Nuclear Deal), but will lessen commitment to the deal.
He further told representatives of E3+2 (the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China) that the deal needed “surgery.”
According to him, Iran was trying to save the deal, not “kill” it.
“We have never been the first to violate the commitments or to wage wars, but at the same time we have never surrendered to bullying and will not do so, and we will certainly give appropriate response to any kind aggression,” Rouhani said.
“Today we announced to the friendly countries and the five remaining signatories to the nuclear deal that we are ready for negotiations within the very framework of the JCPOA, neither a word more nor less.”
Rouhani said that Tehran has discussed the Articles 26, and 36 with the remaining signatories to the deal four times, implying that Iran has used the mechanism stipulated in the context of the JCPOA along with the required legal remedies.
The Iranian President gave the signatories a 60-day moratorium to remedy the deal.
“Based on a decision made by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, I sent messages to the remaining five countries in the nuclear deal, announcing that we gave them one year as they requested us,” Rouhani said.
“It was a strategic patience on our part,’ he said clarifying that Iran ‘is not leaving the nuclear deal today.”
“It is not the end of JCPOA, rather it is a new phase of the deal in the context and in line with the wording of the JCPOA.”
“Articles of 26 and 36 entitled Iran to raise complaint about breach of the international deal in the joint commission,’ he noted.
The Article 36, under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism, says, “If Iran believed that any or all of the E3/EU+3 were not meeting their commitments under this JCPOA, Iran could refer the issue to the Joint Commission for resolution.”
The Article 26 stipulates, “The EU will refrain from re-introducing or re-imposing the sanctions that it has terminated implementing under this JCPOA, without prejudice to the dispute resolution process provided for under this JCPOA.”
In the message, we announced the remaining signatories that Iran has changed its mind on the two measures it has taken based on the deal, Rouhani said in reference to the selling the enriched uranium and heavy water after 60 days moratorium.
Meaning that MSM reports practically amount to “fear-mongering,” since Iran is neither leaving the JCPOA, nor is deciding to default on some core provisions of it. Iran is rather deciding to cut some voluntary undertakings.
Iranian state news outlet IRNA, published a report claiming that the White House was targeting the JCPOA’s terms.
“As a previous member of the JCPOA, the US government has now begun seeking to refrain from extending some terms of this nuclear deal, which was approved by the Democratic government after two years of negotiations.”
The report, reminded of “Trump’s new sanctions targeting Iran that includes peaceful nuclear activities of Iran. The United States has renewed Iran’s nuclear-related exemptions for the European Union, China and Russia, but has avoided extending the heavy water transfer to Oman and the exchange of enriched uranium with yellow cake; an illegal move that follows the maximum pressure on Iran.”
Both Russia and the EU condemned the decision and claimed they would not abide by it.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif defended Iran’s decision that came exactly on the 1-year-anniversary of the US withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Deal.
On May 8 2018, US withdrew from #JCPOA, violated #UNSCR 2231 & pressured others—incl #E3—to do the same
After a year of patience, Iran stops measures that US has made impossible to continue
Our action is within the terms of JCPOA.
EU/E3+2 has a narrowing window to reverse this.— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) May 8, 2019
MSM further published reports, citing anonymous US officials, claiming that Iran was moving short-range ballistic missiles aboard its warship in the Persian Gulf. According to the claims, that is the actual reason why the US decided to move the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and B-52 bombers in the region.
According to the anonymous officials, the US may also send anti-missile defense systems to the Middle East.
The shift in assets to CENTCOM was in response to “recent and clear” indications that the Iranian military or its proxy forces were making preparations to possibly attack American troops in the region, according to Navy Capt. Bill Urban, a CENTCOM spokesman.
“U.S. Central Command requested the additional forces to protect U.S. forces and interests in the region and to deter any aggression,” Urban said. “A number of factors define credibility but they are all related to the sources and methods through which information is obtained, which is not something we are going to be able to talk about.”
The US appears to be dead set on its “maximum pressure” policy on Iran and MSM is reinforcing the narrative in attempts to provide justification.
Also on May 7th, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a surprise visit to Iraq, after cancelling a meeting in Germany.
Visited Iraq & met with PM @AdilAbdAlMahdi & Pres. @BarhamSalih to reinforce our friendship & to underline the need for Iraq to protect diplomatic facilities & Coalition personnel. U.S. & @Coalition troops are helping the Iraqi Security Forces ensure that ISIS remains defeated. pic.twitter.com/XTkY4APOpz
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 8, 2019
“We talked to them about the importance of Iraq ensuring that it’s able to adequately protect Americans in their country,” the US secretary of state told reporters after the meetings. “They both provided assurances that they understood that was their responsibility,” he said.
Pompeo said he made the trip because Iranian forces are “escalating their activity” and said the threat of attacks were “very specific”.
“These were attacks that were imminent,” Pompeo said.
In a brief statement, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim said the talks focused on “bilateral ties, the latest security developments in the region and anti-terrorism efforts”.
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