The United States is concerned about Iran’s commitment to return to an international nuclear deal that has lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities and international inspections.
Discussions are taking place in Vienna between the signatories of the Joint Action Plan (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement negotiated under former President Obama. Former President Trump
Donald Trump Romney blasts end of filibuster, SCOTUS McConnell expansion, GOP criticizes Biden’s executive order on US SCOTUS raises concerns about Iran’s seriousness in nuclear talks MORE removed the United States from the agreement, and Iran later resumed uranium enrichment.
While Iran is participating in indirect talks with JCPOA participants – namely European, Chinese and Russian interlocutors – it has rejected offers of direct communication with the US
This made the talks “slower” and “more complicated,” a senior US official said in a briefing with reporters on Friday and said Iran’s seriousness was being called into question.
“One question remains whether the seriousness of the goal and the intention to return to conformity that the US has shown will be reciprocated by Iran,” the official said.
“We have seen some signs, but they are certainly not enough, and there are still questions as to whether Iran has the will to do what will be necessary,” to return to compliance with the agreement.
President Biden
Joe BidenBiden calls on California workplace safety leader to lead OSHA Romney blasts end of filibuster, expanding US SCOTUS cash payments to help reduce migration MORE stated that it has committed to join the JCPOA.
The US negotiating team in Vienna is led by a special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, and talks began on Tuesday.
The United States proposes that Iran, which has violated the terms of the nuclear activity agreement and limit international inspections, take its own steps to return to compliance with the agreement.
The Vienna talks aim to find a solution to “mutual respect”. However, Iranian officials insist that the United States take the first step, verifying that sanctions are high.
The senior State Department official considered this request from Tehran unclear as to what it means to verify the lifting of sanctions in practice and presented it as an example of the difficulty of indirect talks.
“We think it would be better if we could sit down with the Iranians,” the official said. “We won’t pay a price for that, so if they don’t want to meet with us, it’s a shame … it’s going to be a lot more difficult for them to get what they say they want, which is a mutual return to compliance ”.
The official called the talks “the first step in the first phase” of a possible return to the JCPOA. Talks are expected to resume in Vienna next week.
The European Union, which is chairing talks between JCPOA signatories, said in a statement on Friday that all participants underlined their commitment to maintaining the nuclear deal and “discussed ways to ensure a return to its full and effective implementation”.
An earlier statement said the talks were “constructive and results-oriented exchanges”.