Iran: US’ extension of sanctions act violates nuclear deal

Iran today threatened to retaliate against the US Senate’s vote to extend the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for 10 years, saying it violated last year’s deal with six major powers that curbed its nuclear programme.

The ISA was first adopted in 1996 to punish investments in Iran’s energy industry and deter its pursuit of nuclear weapons. The extension was passed unanimously yesterday.

US officials said the ISA’s renewal would not infringe on the nuclear agreement, under which Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear work in return for the lifting of financial sanctions that harmed the country’s economy.

But senior Iranian officials took odds with that view.

Iran’s nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, who played a key role in reaching the nuclear deal, described it as a “clear violation” of the 2015 deal if implemented.

“We are closely monitoring the developments,” state TV quoted Salehi as saying. “If they implement the ISA, Iran will take action accordingly.”

The extension risks deepening hostilities between Iran and the United States ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who said during his election campaign that he would abandon the deal.

Iran’s most powerful authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had already warned in November that an extension would be viewed in Tehran as a violation of the accord.

“Iran has shown its commitment to its international agreements, but we are also prepared for any possible scenario. We are ready to firmly protect the nation’s rights under any circumstances,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said in comments reported by state news agency IRNA