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International Relations GS 2 In the news 19 times

JCPOA

The 2015 Nuclear Deal and Its Collapse

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed on July 14, 2015, between Iran and the P5+1 (US, UK, France, Russia, China + Germany) and the European Union, was the last comprehensive framework governing Iran's nuclear activities. It placed quantitative and qualitative limits on Iran's enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief.

Key details
  • JCPOA signed: July 14, 2015 (Vienna); operational from January 16, 2016
  • Key limits under JCPOA: enrichment capped at 3.67% (sufficient for power reactors, not weapons); uranium stockpile limited to 300 kg; centrifuge count reduced from ~20,000 to 6,104; Fordow facility converted from enrichment to research
  • "Breakout time" under JCPOA: estimated at 12+ months — the time Iran would need to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one bomb
  • Trump withdrew the US from JCPOA in May 2018 under a "maximum pressure" strategy; Iran began exceeding limits from July 2019
  • Iran's enrichment level by 2023: up to 84% purity (near weapons-grade; weapons typically require 90%+)
  • IAEA safeguards: Iran accepted Additional Protocol under JCPOA (intrusive inspections); cooperation with IAEA reduced after US withdrawal
In the news

Tracked since February 10, 2026 · last seen June 26, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

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