The sanctions, which the Trump administration formally reinstated in 2020, are now being lifted as of Thursday in what is considered to be a telling move by the White House concerning its plans to return to the nuclear deal.
On Thursday, the United States informed the United Nations Security Council of its decision to negate the UN sanctions reimposed on Iran in 2020 by the Trump administration. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo utilized the ‘snapback’ option that was part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which reimplemented all pre-2015 sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
The Trump administration withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 after citing multiple violations on Iran’s side, leading to a series of economic sanctions over the next couple of years. However, the Biden administration’s newly-revealed move is speculated to be a significant step by the White House concerning its plans to return to the nuclear deal. The Iranian regime has already vowed to return to the deal if the other parties agree to uphold their side(s).
Since the US decision to withdraw in 2018, the Iranians have aggressively violated the terms of the deal in various areas. While the Biden team is seeking a far more Obama-like approach to its relationship with Iran, the president has also said he intends to “address Iran’s destabilizing activities across the Middle East.”
