Iran and the EU have said talks on resuming the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and leading global powers will resume “in the coming days”, starting with indirect talks between Tehran and the United States.
“We are ready to resume negotiations,” Hossein Amirabdolahyan, Iran’s foreign minister, told a joint news conference Saturday with Josep Borel, a senior European diplomat visiting the country. “What matters to the Islamic Republic is to fully enjoy the economic benefits of the agreement we reached in 2015. . [or else] will not be acceptable “for Iran.
Borrell said that “the coming days [literally] means the coming days. I mean fast, immediately. “
EU-mediated talks between the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China – and indirectly with the United States – stalled in March after a year of difficult negotiations.
Under the agreement – officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) – Iran canceled its enrichment activities in exchange for the United States lifting many sanctions. But in 2018, then-US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement and imposed the toughest sanctions ever against any country on terrorism charges. This has prompted Iran to resume uranium enrichment in 2019 and has already reached levels close to arms.
US President Joe Biden is ready to revive the agreement, but Trump’s designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization is seen as a major obstacle.
In addition to being Iran’s most powerful security and military security organization, elite forces run a business empire. Iran is concerned that the name terrorist will deprive the country of economic benefits under the agreement and insists it be abolished. Analysts warn that Biden may fail to do so, as it could further complicate domestic policy.
Borrell said that “there are decisions that need to be made in Tehran and Washington.” But today we agreed that this visit will be followed by the resumption of negotiations between Iran and [the] The United States, assisted by my team to try to resolve the latest unresolved issues. “
He said the purpose of his visit was to “break the current dynamic of escalation and get out of the stalemate of the negotiations”, adding that “it is of paramount importance to give a new impetus to get the JCPOA on the right track”.
Later on Saturday, at another Tehran-based foreign media press conference, Borel clarified that the talks would not be held in Vienna for the time being, but rather that there would be talks in a Gulf coastal country “to resolve political differences” between Iran and the United States. Negotiations will still be indirectly mediated by the EU, he said. All parties can then return to Vienna for a ministerial meeting and final discussions.
Amirabdolahyan also said he hoped the United States would be “realistic, fair” and “responsible and committed.”
Enrique Mora, the EU envoy coordinating the indirect talks in Vienna between Iran and the United States, accompanied Borrell to Tehran. Before going there, he posted a photo on Twitter of a dinner in Brussels with Robert Mali, the US special envoy for Iran. The photo was taken by analysts as a sign that Borel was carrying a message from the United States.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Tehran on Thursday and said his country is seeking to resume the same JCPOA, no more, no less. Western diplomats in Tehran say Moscow has played a key role in blocking the talks, asking Russia to reap the economic benefits of resuming the nuclear deal. Iran denies that Moscow has sabotaged any agreement.
Borrell said the world had changed since February, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
“The world will be a much safer place if we have a deal that can provide Iran with the full economic benefits of the agreement while meeting the international community’s concerns about non-proliferation, global security and regional stability,” he said.
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