WASHINGTON DELIBERATELY INSTIGATING TEHRAN TO VIOLATE JCPOA, SAYS EXPERT

The United States is deliberately trying to make Iran violate the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), former head of the Verification and Security Policy Coordination Office at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Tariq Rauf told TASS on Tuesday.

"I think it's a mistake to fall into the trap put by [US President Donald] Trump and [National Security Advisor John] Bolton, because they are pushing to violate the JCPOA in frustration," the expert said on the sidelines of a conference of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe.

He said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s ultimatum came as a result of this. "And it's what Trump and Bolton want, so that Iran becomes irrational in anger, and then they will say ‘See! We always told you so’," the expert added.

"At the moment at least three European countries and the vast majority of other countries are generally sympathetic to Iran. So the US is really very isolated, only maybe Israel supports the US," Rauf said.

He agreed that "US extraterritorial application of their law whether it concerns Iran or Russia or any other country is illegal under international law." "But since 80% of international financial transactions touch the dollar in some way or another, it gives them this power of using extraterritorial application to force other countries though economic power of the dollar," the expert said.

"If the US starts sanctioning big European companies like Siemens and Airbus, they will actually withdraw from Iran because they have a lot to lose. Also the three governments - the UK, France and Germany - will also find it difficult because it will lead to job losses," he went on to say.

"So they will tell Iran - sorry, we can't do it," Rauf summed up.

Sourse: TASS