TEHRAN(Bazaar) – Professor Frank N. von Hippel, former assistant director for national security in the White House Office of Science and Technology, says If the Republicans win the presidency again in 2025, they could follow the example of President Trump and exit the JCPOA again
Following is the text of the Bazaar interview with Professor Frank N. von Hippel.
Bazaar: Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs said Wednesday that the Vienna talks with the aim of removal of the US sanctions will start on November 29. What is your assessment of this?
von Hippel: We have a saying that you may have also in your country: “Better late than never.”
Bazaar: President Ebrahim Raeisi said that "As Iran has announced before, we will not leave the negotiating table," adding that Iran wants result-oriented negotiations to remove oppressive US sanctions. Do you think that the result that Iran is seeking will be achieved in the negotiations?
von Hippel: I hope both sides keep it simple: JCPOA compliance for compliance. If either or both ask for more, I think the result will be failure and perhaps war in the not too distant future if Iran continues to build up its stocks of 20% and 60% enriched uranium with no real justification except to reduce the time it would take to produce enough weapon-grade uranium for nuclear weapons.
Bazaar: Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia Permanent Representative for Vienna-based International Organizations said that all participants in the negotiations for the resumption of the implementation of the JCPOA call for a result-oriented dialogue. He told cautiously optimistic about the outlook for the next round of Vienna talks. His words seem to be a response to Ebrahim Raisi. What is your assessment of Russia's recent position? Ulyanov has been sharply critical of Iran for the delay in the Vienna talks in recent months.
von Hippel: I hope Ulyanov is correct and that the negotiations will now move forward to an agreement on compliance for compliance.
Bazaar: Republicans in U.S. Congress announced that as soon as the Republican Party regains a majority in Congress, it will immediately rescind any agreement between the Biden administration and the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Republican MPs said their clear message to the Islamic Republic of Iran was: “Joe Biden does not have the authority to promise the permanent lifting of sanctions of Iran.” Based on this, how does the Biden government want to guarantee the stability of the JCPOA?
von Hippel: If the Republicans win the presidency again in 2025, they could follow the example of President Trump and exit the JCPOA again. The Republicans did control both Houses of Congress in 2015 when the JCPOA was negotiated. They tried but they could not block it coming into force without the Presidency.
Bazaar: Given the recent developments, what is your prediction for the future of the JCPOA?
von Hippel: I hope the JCPOA can be revived quickly. Then Iran should take full advantage of it for the minimum of 3 years that the Biden Administration can control the situation – hopefully longer.
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