The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed two bills linked to the worldwide nuclear accord with Iran imposing a new set of sanctions and blocking Iranian access to US financial system, defying President Obama who has threatened to veto such legislation.
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US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday said that the Iran nuclear deal has made the world safer despite naysayers’ predictions as he marked the agreement’s one-year anniversary.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in January 2016 that Iran had fulfilled its obligations under the nuclear pact, prompting Brussels to scale down nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions.
“At any time under any circumstances, should the world powers that signed the deal refuse to keep their commitments, we are completely ready and have the nuclear capability to roll back our nuclear programme to a desirable stage in a short period of time”, said Hassan Rouhani, Iranian President. The group of lawmakers opposed last year’s landmark worldwide nuclear deal with Iran.
Obama said in a statement Thursday that the deal avoids further conflict and makes us safer.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran officially complained about America to the International Court of Justice for the confiscation and theft of $2 billion”, he was quoted as saying by Reuters in June.
According to a release from Corker’s office, the proposal will impose mandatory sanctions on individuals tied to Tehran’s ballistic missile programs, the Revolutionary Guard or “any significant activities undermining cybersecurity by Iran”.
The votes came a day after the House approved a measure Wednesday that calls for prohibiting the Obama administration from buying more of Iran’s heavy water, a key component in certain nuclear reactors.
Opponents of the landmark deal, reached between Tehran and the U.S., China, France, Germany, Russia and the U.K, asserted that Iran was sure to cheat given its past illicit nuclear activity. The White House also said it could undermine the sanctions that remain. The White House said removing Iran’s surplus heavy water would prevent Tehran from ever using it to produce nuclear weapons. As a result, all of Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon remain closed, and Iran’s breakout time has been extended from two to three months to about a year. For instance, they have reportedly continued their ballistic missile program, even just as recently as this past week, and have been uncooperative when it comes to American officials wanting to inspect their nuclear facilities.
The No Heavy Water From Act would stop the US from purchasing Iran’s heavy water. They overplayed Iranian concessions and underplayed American ones.
Meanwhile, the U.S. House passed legislation banning purchase of heavy water from Iran, a byproduct that can be used for nuclear production.
“And my final comment is that there are continuing issues”.
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This is while Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi said in late May that given Washington’s unreliable conduct and seizure of Iran’s assets, Tehran will not deliver a cargo of heavy water it has sold the USA unless it is guaranteed the money will be paid in full.
