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Iranian hard-liners claim main pressure on Rouhani comes from public

Under domestic pressure over the lackluster implementation of the JCPOA, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani must maneuver to execute the remainder of his agenda — if he wishes to stay in office.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 26, 2016.  REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood   - RTSCBFN

TEHRAN, Iran — The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deeply found its way into Iran’s political vocabulary last year. It has since come to engage Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the paramilitary Basij, domestic and foreign analysts, politicians and the Iranian public.

On July 14, 2015, almost 13 years after the outset of the crisis over Iran’s nuclear program, the Islamic Republic of Iran succeeded in reaching a breakthrough in the negotiations with six world powers, signing the JCPOA. For Iran, what was most important was the issue of the nuclear-related sanctions. These sanctions, which Iran had been grappling with for years, were formally lifted Jan. 16, with EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini officially announcing the Implementation Day of the JCPOA. While the United States has since formally lifted nuclear-related sanctions, the Rouhani administration is still faced with serious challenges in regard to the implementation of the deal.

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