Iran to develop n-propulsion, cites US 'violation' of deal

Responding to the recent violation of a multilateral nuclear deal by the US, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday ordered the national nuclear agency to start planning nuclear propulsion devices to be used in sea transport.

In a directive issued to the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), the Iranian chief executive demanded that the organisation draw appropriate plans to design and manufacture nuclear propulsion devices as well as the fuel required for them, the state-owned Press TV reported.

Rouhani instructed AEOI chief Ali Akbar Salehi to report back to him on the issue within a maximum period of three months.

The President said the measures were warranted in light of the US dragging its feet in fulfilling its commitments under the multilateral nuclear deal -- known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- and the recent ratification of anti-Iran legislation in the US Congress known as the Iran Sanctions Act.

President Rouhani said Iran warned that the approval of the sanctions would amount to a breach of the deal.

He said the directives were now being given in implementation of the decisions made by Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the committee tasked monitoring the implementation of the JCPOA.

In a separate directive issued to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, President Rouhani instructed Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to take action to follow up on the US violations of the JCPOA as per the provisions of the deal and to take other legal and international measures necessary in that regard.

The JCPOA involves a total of seven sides, namely Iran, the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China. It was reached in July 2015. The deal stipulates that nuclear-related sanctions against Iran be terminated and no such sanctions be imposed as long as Iran meets its side of the bargain, including certain limits to its nuclear program.

However, the US Congress recently reauthorised the sanctions, extending the US President's authority to potentially impose sanctions on US entities that do business with Iran.

Iran had warned it would take reciprocal action if the ISA was approved. The Islamic Republic has written a letter of complaint to the United Nations over the vote on the legislation at the US Congress.

--IANS

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