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Reneging on Iran deal would harm US: Analyst

Saturday, 12 November 2016 9:01 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 12 November 2016 11:23 AM ]

This United Nations handout photo shows a General view of the UN Security Council during a vote October 31, 2016 at the UN in New York. (Photo by AFP)

As US president-elect Donald Trump is working on his administration line-up, there are concerns about his promise to rip up the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Kaveh Afrasiabi, author and political scientist, told Press TV on Friday night that Trump could not throw the JCPOA away because of international pressures and obligations under the agreement.

“If the US reneges on it, then the Iranian party can complain to the Security Council and this would seriously harm the US’s image in Europe and elsewhere,” he said.

"The situation is not ripe for Mr. Trump to take such a hasty decision because of all of the legal complexities involved,” Afrasiabi added.

Touching on Trump’s election threat, Afrasiabi said the president-elect "would think twice about this very thoughtless decision that does not serve the US’s own interest.”

The analyst said the nuclear accord is an “international agreement” that is legally binding by virtue of its endorsement by the UN Security Council and agreed to by signatories including the United States.

“If there is a non-fulfillment of this obligation, then the US can be complained against by Iran to the Security Council as stipulated in paragraph 37 of the nuclear agreement,” Afrasiabi said.

Since the UN has confirmed that Iran has faithfully implemented its obligations under the JCPOA, “the United States would be really hard pressed to justify itself and would be internationally isolated if it reneges on the nuclear agreement,” he added.

Afrasiabi, however, said Trump is under the influence of the Zionist lobby and that he may select Newt Gingrich as his secretary of state, who is opposed to the agreement.

The JCPOA, which took effect in January, ended nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. However, Tehran complains that Washington does not comply with its commitments under the accord.

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