Why This Sunday is a Significant Day for the Iran Nuclear Deal

After many years of fitful negotiations, Iran is expected within days to start dismantling parts of its nuclear facilities and reducing its uranium stockpiles under international supervision.

Sunday is “adoption day,” the end of the beginning for the controversial landmark agreement the United States and five other world powers reached with Iran in July. If Iran satisfactorily reduces its nuclear program so that it cannot build nuclear weapons, international sanctions will be lifted.

Now, 90 days after the U.N. Security Council endorsed the deal, the Obama administration and the European Union will lay the groundwork for sanctions relief. The president will officially notify Congress of his intent to issue provisional waivers, and direct the departments of State, Treasury, Commerce and Justice to get ready. The E.U. will take comparable steps.

Republicans in Congress already are preparing bills that would impose more sanctions on Iran over non-nuclear issues, such as human rights violations and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ alleged support for terrorism.

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“I anticipate the president will veto any legislation,” said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a prominent critic of the Iran deal.

“But it will send a message that the next president could crack down on Revolutionary Guard activity. And it sends a message to the markets. If you’re a financial or energy company thinking of going back to Iran next year, it could be an uncomfortable place to be. You could find yourself on the wrong end of enforcement action in 2017.”

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