WASHINGTON – The Trump administration certified on Monday night in its quarterly review that Iran was complying with the 2015 nuclear agreement while also warning about Tehran’s malign regional behavior. Speaking to reporters on a conference call on the condition of anonymity, a senior administration official explained that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson notified Congress that the conditions that are laid out in the INARA have been met based on information available to the United States.
During the campaign, President Donald Trump repeatedly castigated the nuclear deal signed by President Barack Obama and called for the agreement to be ripped up.
At the same time, the administration official explained that the “Secretary of State and the President intend to emphasize that Iran remains one of the most dangerous threats to U.S. interests and regional stability and to highlight the range of malign activities by Iran that extend well beyond the nuclear realm.” Problematic behavior included: ballistic missile development, human rights violations, support of the murderous Assad regime in Syria, continued “hostility” against Israel, and support for terrorism across the Middle East. Therefore, “the President, Secretary of State and entire administration judge that Iran is unquestionably in default of the spirit of the JCPOA,” he added.
The administration official concluded, “We are putting on new sanctions to hold Iran accountable for its misbehavior.” Nonetheless, all of the additional sanctions would be outside of the JCPOA, he added.