In July 2015; China, France, Russia, United States, United Kingdom and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy created a deal with Iran to maintain Iran’s nuclear enrichment and ensure the peace in Iran’s Nuclear Programme. The Nuclear Deal, which is officially named as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was aimed to contribute to the regional and international security and peace by preventing Iran to build nuclear weapons. Yet, it has turned to a different direction.
The nuclear deal was comprehended the lifting economic sanctions on Iran and the parties of the deal agreed to cooperate with Iran in further joint projects in different areas. By the deal, Iran obtained access to the international market in return for redesigning its nuclear programme. The deal was seen critical by other states because before the agreement, it was believed that Iran was expanding its nuclear capability to be able to create a nuclear weapon in few months. (Al Jazeera, 2019). As Iran being a threat for other powers, by this deal, Iran’s enrichment of uranium was restricted. Iran agreed to keep its uranium levels to be complied with the determined level and it would be inspected by International Atomic Energy Agency which is partner of United Nations.
The deal was also restricting Iran’s engagement to the research and development for nuclear weapons. According to the BBC’s news (2019), Obama administration revealed that the nuclear deal would decrease the chance for Iran to create a nuclear bomb in a short timeframe.
However, in May 2018, US President Donald Trump declared US’ unilateral withdrawal from the Nuclear Deal in his speech at White House. He claimed Iran not being complied with the Nuclear Deal. He demanded the removal of the deal’s time limit and some restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile programme.
Other parties of the agreement are opposed to Trump’s actions and they did not consider the withdrawal from agreement. They support the continuation of the Nuclear Deal in order to keep Iran’s nuclear power under control and international oil trade, as Iran being one of the most important oil suppliers in international area.
In May 2019, Iran responded to Trump’s action by giving 60 days to the other parties for securing the Iran’s economy and the agreement from US sanctions. Iran claimed that otherwise they will continue to their Nuclear Programme step by step.
According to IAEA’s record on Iran’s nuclear enrichment, the enrichment level of Iran exceeded the percentage that was determined in the Nuclear Deal. Plus, Iran declared that they will go further in their incompliance with the deal, unless US lifts the sanctions.
Recently, the tension between Iran and US has been continuing. Iran does not want to negotiate with US on the nuclear deal and pushes other signatories to make US remove the pressure on Iran’s economy.