WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif threatened to suspend the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should the United States renew sanctions against Tehran.
"I do think that Iran has to fulfill some of its promises under the agreement, and I am not sure I want to let them off the hook from that," Engel said when asked if he is concerned about Tehran’s statement it will suspend the implementation of the nuclear agreement if the United States extends sanctions against Iran.
Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif threatened to suspend the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should the United States renew sanctions against Tehran.
Engel explained he was not a supporter of the agreement, but once the deal was passed, and Iran needs to live up to its obligations on the deal.
"Anything that would get Iran away from living up to its obligations, I am opposed to. Anything that will insist that Iran lives up to what it’s supposed to do, I will want to see. I would insist that Iran would live up to what it’s supposed to do. I think it’s totally dependent," Engel stated.
The extension was endorsed by the lower chamber of Congress and would now go before President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it before he leaves office in January.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that the US decision to renew sanctions against Iran was in breach of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
On July 14, 2015, Iran and the P5+1 group of countries — the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany — signed the JCPOA, ensuring the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program in return for the gradual sanctions relief.
The agreement came into force on January 16, after the International Atomic Energy Agency submitted a report confirming the readiness of Iran's authorities to implement the program to reduce the country’s nuclear potential.
