U.S. move to revoke sanctions waivers won’t hurt Iran’s nuclear production, says AEOI

A recent U.S. decision to end nearly every remaining sanctions waiver granted to Iran under the Obama-era nuclear agreement, is not going to have an impact on Iran’s continuing nuclear development, the country’s atomic energy agency said Thursday.

The Trump administration on Wednesday announced it is revoking the waivers that were designed to allow foreign companies to do work at some of Iran’s declared civilian nuclear sites without being subjected to U.S. penalties.

Supporters of the extension of the waivers claimed that it allowed officials and experts the ability to gain inside knowledge of the Iranian nuclear sites, while critics said the waivers could give Iran access to technology that could be used in weapons development.

Ending the waivers will now prohibit Russian, Chinese and European companies from conducting business with Iranian non-military nuclear facilities, and would ignite American sanctions if work with Iran continues.

But Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) says that this won’t hurt business.

“The ending of waivers for nuclear cooperation under (the nuclear deal) will not in practice have any effect on Iran’s work,” AEOI spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said, according to state-run ISNA news agency.

“Of course America wants its actions to have an effect in line with pressure on Iran, but in practice nothing will happen.”

President Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran in 2018 despite European opposition, a move that allowed the U.S. to reinstate economic sanctions against Tehran that had been waived under the deal and add new sanctions.

Under the latest decision, the waivers will stop after a 60-day wind-down period that allows companies and entities involved in activities with the Iranian civilian facilities to break off ties.