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support with all available tools," Adeyemo said in a letter sent to the US news agency.
The nominee’s tough talk could potentially be a stance to win over Republican heads which sit on the committee; however, recent run-ins between the Iranians and the Americans over who moves first are causing concern in capitals across the world.
Tehran on February 28 ruled out closed-door meetings with Washington and other major powers to break the log jam currently.
Adeyemo also said he was committed to enforcing sanctions targeting Russian entities and citizens linked with the government in Moscow.
He said he would work closely with other US officials and agencies to implement laws that mandate sanctions on companies and individuals involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline being built from Russia to Germany.
2.3​ ​Hardline Iran MPs baulk at government’s arrangement with UN nuclear inspectors
Iran may only be “matter of weeks” from producing
Hardline Iranian MPs on February 22 protested against the Rouhani government’s decision to permit “necessary” monitoring of Iran’s nuclear development programme by the UN nuclear watchdog for up to three months. ​The lawmakers claimed the move broke a law mandating an end to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) snap inspections.
“The government has no right to decide and act arbitrarily,” said Mojtaba Zolnour, chairman of the parliament’s national security committee, according to Iranian state media. “This arrangement is an insult to the parliament.”
The pragmatic, moderate Rouhani administration defended the arrangement with the IAEA, saying it fell within legislative bounds.
The IAEA makes inspections to maintain the nuclear deal (formally named the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action, JCPOA) aimed at keeping Iran’s nuclear development programme entirely civilian. Former US President Donald Trump abandoned the JCPOA in May 2018 in favour of pursuing that objective and other Iran policies by hitting Tehran with heavy sanctions.
To pressure US President Joe Biden’s administration to lift the Trump sanctions, Iran’s hardline-dominated parliament passed a law obliging the government to end implementation of an Additional Protocol attached to the 2015 nuclear deal from February 23.
To create room to progress diplomacy—in which Biden officials are calling on Iran to restore full compliance with the nuclear deal to pave the way for the US to re-enter the accord, but Iranian officials are saying the US must drop its sanctions before they bring back the compliance—the IAEA on February 21 reached a deal with Iran to cushion the blow of Iran’s reduced cooperation with the agency and its refusal to permit short-notice inspections.
Earlier on February 1, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Tehran is months away from being able to produce enough fissile
7​ IRAN Country Report March 2021 www.intellinews.com