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Suspension until

Search for the term “suspension” in the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and you won’t find it. You will find “withdrawal” in Article X. That’s what North Korea did. 

Once again Iran has played its “suspension” card and that is raising such a fuss that Donald Trump might be applauding Iran getting so much attention, almost stealing the show from him for a bit. 

Iran has twice suspended the implementation of the Additional Protocol to its CSA, the only government to do that. And, remarkably, it has gotten away with it. 

This time it is a “suspend until” card. A national law has been passed and signed by President Pezeshkian which states that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will suspend its cooperation with the IAEA until the security of the nuclear facilities is guaranteed. Any future inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would need approval by the Supreme National Security Council. The installation of surveillance cameras and filing of reports to the IAEA are suspended. 

“Damned clever” those Iranians! There has been considerable worry that Iran would withdraw from NPT and might dash for a bomb. But Iran understands the likely consequences of that - no security for any nuclear facility or personnel or military installations or … Instead, Iran puts its security up front. Guarantee our security and we will drop the suspension. 

The U.S. response? Newsweek reported on July 2 that the State Department said: “Iran must fully comply with its safeguards agreement required under the NPT, including by providing the IAEA with information required to clarify and resolve long-standing questions regarding undeclared nuclear material in Iran, as well as provide unrestricted access to its newly announced enrichment facility. We look forward to further detailed reporting from the IAEA about this.” And ‘Trump said the U.S. would intervene militarily again if Iran continues to enrich uranium and tries to rebuild its nuclear facilities.’ 

Can we look for the Iranians to take that as a guarantee of their security by the Trump administration? 

On June 30 Newsweek reported that a senior cleric in Iran issued a fatwa declaring that anyone who threatens Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is "an enemy of God." Donald Trump issued threats to kill the Supreme Leader; the fatwas applies to him.

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