We are nearing the deadline for #Iran nuclear sanctions waiver to expire. @SecPompeo will have to take a recommendation to @realDonaldTrump soon. @stevenmnuchin1 must be consulted; @SecBrouillette might be too, but not required. There are three activities covered by the waiver.
90 days ago Pompeo extended the waiver for 4 activities, including 1 at Fordow. @statedeptspox said they were “restrictions on the Iranian regime’s nuclear program.” Days later #Iran restarted enrichment at Fordow. Oops. JCPOA talking point fail. translations.state.gov/2019/10/31/sec…
Three clumps of activities still covered by the waiver: Arak, the Tehran Research Reactor (this has two sub-activities) & Bushehr.
Arak poses the biggest conundrum because it contradicts one of the 12 demands from @SecPompeo’s @Heritage speech: closing the heavy water reactor.
Arak poses the biggest conundrum because it contradicts one of the 12 demands from @SecPompeo’s @Heritage speech: closing the heavy water reactor.
The case for ending the Arak waiver - a JCPOA project that contradicts a core negotiating demand - is easy to make. TRR easy too. The case for ending the Bushehr waiver - an active power plant predating JCPOA involving a US nuclear supplier - is harder to make.
What will @SecPompeo decide? If UN snapback is the goal, as stated, & US ready to end the #JCPOA once and for all, why continue any waiver for a JCPOA nuclear cooperation activity? New sanctions on Iran’s so-called civil nuclear program would also help. Stay tuned. END
