Russia rejects US demands for changes to Iran nuclear deal

As Russian President Putin arrives in Iran for talks with Iran’s top leadership the Russians have flatly rejected US suggestions – including from US President Trump – that the nuclear deal with the Iran – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (“JCPOA”) be amended or renegotiated.

The Russian position was clearly set out by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov

I believe the demands on (the Iranian) agreement put forward by the US president recently are unrealistic.  Many officials in the US administration have an erroneous idea that it is possible to add something to the agreement. That’s impossible. We held negotiations on the document for 12 years.

Russia is a signatory and co-guarantor of the JCPOA alongside its ally China.  It is also a permanent member of the UN Security Council, whose agreement would be needed for any international sanctions on Iran.

That means that without the Russians’ agreement the JCPOA cannot be changed or amended or renegotiated, and the UN Security Council cannot impose further international sanctions on Iran.

The fact that the Russians are flatly rejecting any change or amendment to the JCPOA or any renegotiation of its terms therefore means that it will not be changed or amended or renegotiated, and that there will be no further UN imposed international sanctions on Iran.

With the US’s European allies loathe to see the whole JCPOA collapse, that means that if the US decides to pull out of the JCPOA unilaterally it will be on its own.