Page 8 - MEOG Week 06 2022

MEOG POLICY & SECURITY MEOG

US restores waivers on

nuclear cooperation with Iran

IRAN THE US on February 4 restored sanctions waiv- considerable since Trump pulled the US out of
ers to Iran that will clear the way for international the nuclear deal in May 2018, prompting Iran to
nuclear cooperation projects. gradually stop abiding by the JCPOA’s terms.
The move was made as the Vienna talks on Reuters on February 4 reported an anony-
reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action mous US state department official as saying that
(JCPOA), between Tehran and six major powers the waiver move was needed to allow for techni-
enter what’s likely to be the final stage. Iran’s for- cal discussions key to the talks about a return to
eign ministry quickly welcomed the gesture, but the deal. The official was reported as adding that
said that it “is not sufficient”. restoring the waivers was not a signal that the US
The waivers, revoked by former US president was on the point of reaching an understanding to
Donald Trump in 2019 and 2020, allowed Rus- return to the JCPOA.
sian, Chinese and European companies to carry Eurasia Group analyst Henry Rome told Reu-
out non-proliferation work to essentially make it ters that the waiver restoration is a “modest sign”
more difficult for Iran to use its nuclear sites for of movement.
weapons development. “The waivers are less a goodwill gesture or a
The activities now once more shielded by concession to Iran, but rather technical steps that
sanctions waivers include a redesign of Iran’s are probably aimed at ensuring implementation
Arak heavy-water reactor and the preparation discussions can go forward in Vienna,” Rome
and modification of its Fordow facility for stable said.
isotope production, operations and training and Hossein Amirab-Dollahian said in com-
services related to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power ments reported by Iranian media that “the lifting
plant, among other things. of some sanctions can in itself translate into good
The US and Iran have held eight rounds of faith,” “While what is on paper is good, but it’s
indirect talks in Vienna since April aimed at rein- not enough,” he added.
stating the JCPOA that lifted major sanctions Amirabdollahian said one of the major issues
imposed on Tehran in exchange for restrictions in the Vienna talks was getting “guarantees, espe-
on its nuclear programme aimed at ensuring it is cially from the West, to fulfil their obligations.”
kept entirely civilian. As Iran has not yet agreed Iran is wary that any promises made by the
to face to face talks with the US in the Austrian Biden administration as part of the restoration
capital, officials of the three European states of the JCPOA could be rolled back by the next
signed up to the nuclear act as intermediaries American president.
between the Iranian and American delegations. After the waiver removal was confirmed,
Western diplomats remain anxious that Iran’s Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani said on
progress in nuclear advancement means there is Twitter: “Iran’s legal right to continue research
now only a very narrow window to return to the and development and maintain its peaceful
JCPOA. nuclear capabilities and achievements, side by
Iran has always insisted it has no inten- side with its security ... cannot be curbed by any
tion to develop a nuclear weapon, but its ura- agreement.” Shamkhani is secretary of Iran’s
nium enrichment knowhow has advanced Supreme National Security Council.™

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