A top House Democrat is warning that the Obama administration must take immediate steps ensure Iran is complying with the nuclear agreement, in the wake of new reports that Iran has stopped dismantling centrifuges in some uranium enrichment plants.
Reuters reported Tuesday that according to Iran’s state press, conservatives in the government disapproved of how quickly the centrifuges were being taken down. According to that report, hardliners who oppose the deal wrote a letter to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to complain, and the dismantling process slowed.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., voted for the Iran nuclear agreement, but he warned that this new development poses a major challenge for the administration.
“The United States and our international partners must not tolerate any attempt by Iran to bend to its hardliners by delaying the fulfillment of its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” Hoyer said. “Allegations that Iran has paused the dismantling of centrifuges at two enrichment plants, which it is required to do under the JCPOA, are disconcerting, and they come just after Iran detained another American citizen and tested a ballistic missile.”
“Iran must continue to reduce its number of centrifuges for uranium enrichment and adhere to every requirement of the JCPOA,” he added. “Iran delays implementation of the agreement at its own peril, and foreign businesses ought to weigh carefully any decision to reenter Iran’s marketplace before certification of its compliance with its obligations.”
The Obama administration has insisted that at the first sign Iran is faltering in its implementation of the deal, sanctions against Iran will snap back into place. But that would require a determination that Iran has failed, which could take some time.
While the White House is expected to defend the deal, Hoyer said the U.S. should ensure there are “unambiguous consequences” against Iran, even for minor violations.
“Iran’s leaders must know with certainty that they cannot get away with shirking any of their obligations to dismantle key components of their country’s nuclear program,” he said.
