Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
Weekly Standard, 17 July 2017 - The Trump administration called Iran “one of the most dangerous threats to United States’ interests” and a senior administration official said that that the United States has “not seen any change to Iran’s malign behavior in the region” since the implementation of a multi-national agreement to stop the regime’s nuclear weapons ambitions. The administration will nevertheless certify Iran’s adherence to the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, on Monday.
“Iran remains one of the most dangerous threats to United States’ interests and to regional security and stability,” said a senior administration official on Monday. The official listed several non-nuclear-related malign activities and violations to international norms, including a recent case in which a U.S. citizen and academic arrested in Iran was sentenced to 10 years in prison on dubious charges of spying.
“These Iranian activities severely undermine the stated goal of the JCPOA nuclear deal to contribute to ‘regional and international peace and security.’ Clearly, as the president has said multiple times, Iran is in default on the spirit of that agreement,” said the official.
A second senior administration official said the United States would be issuing new non-nuclear sanctions on Iran, “designating 16 entities and individuals for engaging in support of illicit Iranian actors or transmissional criminal activity.”
These actions and rhetoric from the administration come as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson prepares to recertify the JCPOA, as mandated by Congress, on Monday. Federal law requires the administration to certify Iran is fulfilling the narrow provisions of the nuclear deal, which President Barack Obama forged and signed back in 2015. President Trump, who campaigned against the Iran deal, is reportedly frustrated with the decision to recertify, which he views as verification that Iran is complying with the deal. Indeed, there is an incoherence to recertifying the deal while noting Iran’s violations that even White House officials acknowledge.
A senior official said Monday the administration will be “addressing” the JCPOA’s flaws with European allies. “What we’re not going to do is look the other way on Iran’s destabilizing behavior in the region,” said the official. “We’re working with our allies and our partners for meeting these objectives as well as addressing some very significant flaws in the JCPOA, especially the sunset clause but also the fact that existing restrictions were inadequately enforced. And so looking at enforcement mechanisms to make sure they're fully used.” The “sunset clause,” perhaps one of the most despised elements of the nuclear deal by its opponents, puts time limits on the restrictions on Iran’s development of its nuclear weapons program.
Tillerson has reportedly told the top Republican senator on the Foreign Relations Committee that he wants a “different agreement” with Iran. This, the administration says, is just a part of its ongoing interagency review of Iran policy, which is being headed by the National Security Council. Asked when the review will be completed, a senior administration official reiterated it is “ongoing.”
“I think in about a month or so is when we’re going to bring the whole package to the president, but we’ve been bringing him the work that we’ve undertaken that work,” the official said.
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