Russia giving cover to Iran could doom nuclear deal as Trump considers whether to certify

jcpoa, FreeIran, Humanrights, MaryamRajavi, IRGC, Iran, NCRI, PMOI, MEK, 

As President Donald Trump considers whether to certify to Congress the controversial 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, word that the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog can’t verify a crucial part of the agreement could tip the scales with time running out by the middle of next month.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley indicated Thursday that Russia was shielding Iran by blocking the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from verifying part of the deal. The IAEA initially revealed the news to a reporter in a Q&A. Meanwhile, under a requirement from Congress, Trump must choose whether to certify the deal by October 15.

Yukiya Amano, the IAEA Director General, told Reuters that his agency’s “tools are limited,” regarding verification of section T in the nuclear deal.

Section T of the Iran nuclear deal, which is also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), prohibits activities related to “design and development” of a nuclear weapon.

Amano told Reuters that the Russians don’t believe the IAEA has a mandate for that particular section of the agreement.

In response to his admission, Haley, not referring to Russia by name in her statement, said that for the deal to have meaning, “the parties must have a common understanding of its terms.”