Iran sees Israeli lobby behind U.S. visa waiver changes

In a letter to his Iranian counterpart, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reassured Iran that the law “will not in any way prevent us from meeting our JCPOA commitments”.

The $1.1-trillion omnibus bill contains a provision that would penalize citizens of the 38 visa waiver program (VWP) countries who, since March 201, have visited a U.S.-designated state-sponsor of terrorism (Iran, Syria and Sudan) or Iraq – by requiring them to apply for a visa for future travel to the U.S.

The nuclear deal would terminate all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran after coming into force.

The measure was introduced following the terror attacks in Paris.

Iranian officials have in recent days repeatedly issued threatening statements to the Obama administration, saying that such moves would violate the nuclear agreement, and the Obama administration last week conveyed the Iranian anger to American lawmakers.

Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also said the letter had come after European and P5+1 countries exercised pressure on the United States over the new law.

“Iran and the nuclear negotiating team’s commitment is to implement the JCPOA successfully, but if the USA does not adhere to its obligations, we will also breach our commitments under JCPOA”, Takht Ravanchi said.

“Definitely, this law adversely affects economic, cultural, scientific and tourism relations”, he claimed. Some suggest the measure is effectively a new sanction against the Islamic Republic that could jeopardise the nuclear deal.

Critics of the Iran agreement are likely to use the latest friction as evidence that the JCPOA handicaps the U.S.by preventing Washington from enacting any additional measures to protect against Iran’s support for terrorist groups such as Hezbollah.

Visa waiver reform efforts include “a naming of Iran such that individuals who have travelled to Iran will no loner be eligible for the visa waiver program”, Murphy said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif complained over the weekend that the visa restrictions were a new sanction on Iran, which he believed would violate the nuclear deal.

Sources working with Congress on the Iran deal criticized the Obama administration for attempting to stymie increased action on terrorism due to its desire to preserve the nuclear deal.

Stating that the JCPOA has opened a new chapter in relations between Iran and France, Shamkhani said that taking “common and constructive steps” for the restoration of trust is a starting point in the establishment of new ties on the basis of mutual respect and national interests of the two nations.