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Iran to Work on Nuclear-Powered Boats after U.S. “Violation” of Deal | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani takes part in a news conference near the United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., September 22, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo


Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani ordered scientists on Tuesday to start developing systems for nuclear-powered boats, in reaction to U.S. lawmakers passing a bill extending some economic sanctions by 10 years, a step he called a ‘violation. of a global atomic deal.

In a letter published Tuesday by the state-run IRNA news agency, Rouhani ordered his top nuclear official to come up with a plan for how to make atomic fuel for ships and his chief diplomat to look at options for demonstrating America is in violation of the nuclear accord.

“The United States has not fully delivered its commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear deal),” Rouhani wrote in a letter published by state news agency IRNA.

“With regards to recent (U.S. congress) legislation to extend the Iran Sanctions Act, I order the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to … plan the design and construction of a nuclear propeller to be used in marine transportation to be used in marine transportation.”

His words will fuel tensions with Washington, already heightened by comments from U.S. president elect Donald Trump who has vowed to scrap the deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for lifted sanctions.

There was no immediate reaction from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors Iran’s nuclear work.

U.S. Congress members have said the extension of the bill does not violate the nuclear deal agreed last year to alleviate Western fears that Iran is working to develop a nuclear bomb. The act, Congress added, only gave Washington the power to reimpose sanctions on Iran if it violated the pact.

Washington says it has lifted all the sanctions it needs to under the deal between major powers and Iran.

But Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last month that the extension was a definite breach and Iran would “definitely react to it”.