TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran’s president on Tuesday ordered officials to draw up plans to build nuclear-powered ships and to show how the United States violated last year’s nuclear deal, a response to a vote by the U.S. Congress to extend some sanctions on the country.
The move by President Hassan Rouhani came in response to the extension of the Iran Sanctions Act, and was widely seen as posturing that would not affect the landmark nuclear deal concluded with world powers.
The sanctions act awaits President Barack Obama’s signature to become law, and comes amid speculation over how President-elect Donald Trump, a critic of the nuclear deal, will address the issue when he assumes office next month.
Rouhani’s letter, read aloud on state television and published by the official IRNA news agency, gave Ali Akbar Salehi of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization three months to come up with a plan for nuclear-powered ships and producing fuel for them. A separate letter ordered Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to “follow up on the U.S. violations” of the nuclear deal.
Rouhani “said the measures were warranted in light of the United States’ foot-dragging in fulfilling its commitments under the multilateral nuclear deal … and the recent ratification of anti-Iran legislation in the U.S. Congress,” state television reported.