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October 4, 2024
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Obama Determined to Lift Iran Sanctions Despite Open Questions

The Obama administration is determined to move ahead with the lifting of sanctions as early as Tuesday, despite the Islamic Republic’s test launch of a medium-range ballistic missile last week, in violation of U.N. Security Council decisions.

Pursuant to the July 14 nuclear agreement with Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency has recently released a report on the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program. That report essentially said there was no evidence that Iran was actively pursuing a nuclear bomb. It also said Iran has complied with the road map to settle outstanding issues on its past activities. This paves the way for an official IAEA resolution ending the investigation into the matter.

If such a resolution is passed Tuesday—as is widely expected—Dec. 15 will be the official “implementation day” of the agreement, and most U.N. nuclear-related sanctions on Iran will be lifted simultaneously. Under the terms of the deal, the EU and U.S. are required to lift most sanctions after Implementation Day, as well.

Meanwhile, opponents of the deal have stepped up their criticism over Obama’s policy toward Iran. “Iran’s already cheating,” a Chicago Tribune editorial said Friday. The paper’s editors warned that dismantling the sanctions regime was premature, as there was not definitive proof that Iran was in compliance with the July agreement. They added that Iran has not fully cooperated with the IAEA, and urged the administration to oppose the resolution when it comes up to a vote this week.

“The IAEA board of governors is expected to vote [this Tuesday] to accept the report,” the editorial said. “That would be a mistake,” it warned. “The U.S. and its negotiating partners on the nuclear agreement will get one chance to establish that the terms and conditions are solid, concrete, that Iran will be expected to strictly comply. Otherwise, this will start with the tacit understanding that routine noncompliance will be tolerated. Iran will get the signal that it can stonewall inspectors who seek to enforce the deal over the next decade. The lifting of economic sanctions should be paused until Iran completely answers those questions about its practice nuclear work.”

By Yoni Hersch, Erez Linn and Israel Hayom Staff

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