Opponents of the Iranian nuclear deal blasted the Obama administration on Thursday for misleading the American public, the Jewish Insider reported.
The condemnations came after reports emerged that Iran was secretly allowed to evade certain restrictions in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) so that it could begin receiving sanctions relief.
According to the report, released by the DC-based Institute for Science and International Security and revealed by Reuters, a P5+1 joint commission formed to oversee implementation of the accord gave Iran some exemptions so that its nuclear facilities would be in compliance with the deal by January 16, 2016, the deadline for the beginning of the lifting of sanctions.
As part of the concessions that allowed Iran to exceed uranium limits, Reuters reported, the joint commission agreed to exempt unknown quantities of 3.5 percent LEU contained in liquid, solid and sludge wastes stored at Iranian nuclear facilities. The agreement restricts Iran to stockpiling only 300 kg of 3.5 percent LEU.
The commission approved a second exemption for an unknown quantity of near 20 percent LEU in “lab contaminant” that was determined to be unrecoverable, as well as allow Iran to keep operating 19 radiation containment chambers larger than the deal set, according to the report.
In a statement issued on Thursday after the release of the reported, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) said it was “deeply troubled” by if.
“If the report is accurate, this unwarranted leniency sets a dangerous precedent concerning adherence to the agreement,” the pro-Israel lobby’s statement read. “Since the agreement was implemented, Iran has continued its malign behavior, to include harassing American military forces, procuring prohibited technology, testing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, and stoking regional conflicts,” said AIPAC, according to the Jewish Insider.
AIPAC called on the administration and Congress to exercise “robust oversight” of Iran’s behavior and respond to violations of the deal or UN Security Council resolutions with “certain, swift and severe penalties.”
The Republican Jewish Coalition accused the Obama administration of misleading the American public and lying about the details of the deal.
“This latest report further confirms that the Obama Administration has consistently misled the American people on the Iran nuclear deal,’ RJC’s Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a statement quoted by the Jewish Insider. “Simply put, President Obama and his fellow Democrats have never been straightforward with the American people about Iran.”
Meanwhile, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign criticized both the Iran nuclear deal as well as Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's support for it.
Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, a Trump foreign policy adviser, said the report showed President Barack Obama "gave away the store" when the agreement was sealed last year.
"The deeply flawed nuclear deal Hillary Clinton secretly spearheaded with Iran looks worse and worse by the day," Flynn’s statement said, referring to Clinton's role during Obama's first term as secretary of state.