Possible Impact Of The U.s. Rejoining The Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action To Global Security

Submit under Nonproliferation and Arms ControlLate-breaking nonproliferation topical events (e.g. Iran, DPRK, TPNW, etc.)Title: Possible impact of the U.S. rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to Global SecurityAuthors: H. Taylor Hanks1, Elizabeth Hagen1, David H. Hanks21Intelligence and Security Analyst; 2International Safeguards AnalystABSTRACT:The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General issued a report concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) to the IAEA Board of Directors in 2009 (GOV/2009/55), that outlined a number of outstanding issues that needed to be clarified to exclude the existence of possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program. Failure of Iran to comply with the requirements set out by the United Nations Security Council based on reports from the IAEA that Iran was not meeting its obligations under their safeguards agreement resulted in many IAEA Member States imposing further economic sanctions on Iran. In July of 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) provided Iran an opportunity to attain some relief from these sanctions by meeting conditions meant to minimize the military facet of their program. On May 8th, 2018 the President of the United States of America (U.S.) withdrew from the JCPOA (Executive Order 13846) and reinstated sanctions. This paper addresses the possible impact of the U.S. re-joining the multi-nation JCPOA to global security.