Page 12 - MEOG Week 19 2021
P. 12
MEOG POLICY MEOG
Rouhani implies deal with US
in place for main sanctions
IRAN IRANIAN President Hassan Rouhani said on between Tehran and six world powers, which
May 8 that he was optimistic about the direction former US president Donald Trump abandoned
of ongoing talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, prompting Iran to begin violating its
and suggested that an agreement was essentially terms about a year later.
already in place to lift the main US sanctions on The crux of the deal, otherwise known as the
Tehran, state media reported. JCPOA, was that Iran would verifiably keep its
Only the details remained to be agreed, Rou- nuclear programme entirely civilian in nature in
hani implied, although no immediate confirma- return for the removal of US, EU and UN sanc-
tion from US officials or from the other parties to tions. Arguing the deal was not tight enough,
the accord was forthcoming. Trump abandoned the agreement and returned
“We’ve reached a point where the Americans to an Iran policy based on heavy sanctions.
and the Europeans are saying openly they have Separately, on May 9, governor of the Cen-
no choice but to lift sanctions and return to the tral Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdolnasser Hemmati
[nuclear deal], and that almost all main sanc- demanded that the removal of US sanctions on
tions have been lifted and talks continue on some Iran’s financial sector is conclusive.
details,” Rouhani was quoted by state media as “The removal of sanctions against the central
saying. bank, Iranian banks, SWIFT, and any money
US officials returned to Vienna at the end of transfer between them and major foreign cor-
last week for a fourth round of indirect talks with respondent banks, needs to be verified,” he said,
Iran on how to resume compliance with the deal Bloomberg reported.
P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 19 12•May•2021
