Trump Admin. to End Waivers that Allow Some Foreign Businesses to Work on Iranian Nuclear Sites

[Valin]

National Review

Zachary Evans

May 27, 2020

The Trump administration is planning to end waivers that allow certain foreign businesses to work at Iranian nuclear facilities, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

The waivers, which were included in U.S. sanctions placed on Iran in 2015, allow certain Russian and Chinese companies to conduct business at Iranian nuclear sites. Operations covered by the waivers include the modification of Iran’s Arak heavy water nuclear reactor, procurement of enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor, and the shipment of nuclear waste out of Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will “end the sanctions waiver covering [Iran nuclear deal]-related nuclear projects in Iran,” according to a document obtained by the Post. Pompeo reportedly pushed for an end to the waivers along with a group of Senate Republicans including Tom Cotton of Arkansas.

It is not yet clear if the companies involved in work at Iran’s nuclear sites would cease their involvement in response to the imposition of U.S. sanctions.

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