Trump upholds JCPOA & imposes new non-nuclear sanctions

President Trump has agreed to waive sanctions lifted by the USA (for the second time) as part of the JCPOA. His statement is here. These sanctions must be waived every 120 days to keep the sanctions from coming back into force under that agreement. The President said it would be the last time he issues such a waiver unless there is an agreement with “the Europeans” to “fix the deal’s disastrous flaws… This is a last chance… if at any time I judge that such an agreement is not within reach, I will withdraw from the deal immediately”. He is also seeking to amend the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, and to agree new “triggers” with the EU for sanctions to snap back.

The US Treasury Department also imposed new sanctions on 14 Iranian people and entities said to have committed human rights abuses or supported Iran’s ballistic missile programmes (outside the scope of the JCPOA). These include Sadeq Larijani, head of Iran’s judiciary. OFAC Notice here, and US Treasury press release here.