Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi following talks in Vienna, Austria.
Photographer: Askin Kiyagan / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
Photographer: Askin Kiyagan / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
The United States and Iran are nearing the end of their opposition to the nuclear deal abandoned by former President Donald Trump, with Washington describing the talks as “constructive” and the Islamic Republic signaling readiness to discuss details of how the two sides can revive the deal stricken 2015.
Jake Sullivan, United States The national security adviser told Fox News on Sunday that “the Vienna talks were constructive in the sense that there is a real effort going on there” and that world powers have focused on restoring the agreement on the basis of “compliance for compliance”.
His comments come after Iran’s top negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, was freshly injected the hope in Saturday’s process, saying that a “new agreement” is taking shape in the talks and that his country will start working on a full draft text so that negotiators can discuss. Negotiators, which include the European Union, Russia and China, said talks would continue this week.
World powers are meeting in Vienna on April 9 to help the United States and Iran chart a path back to a restored nuclear deal and reduce tensions in the energy-rich Persian Gulf. Talks were almost derailed last week after Iran’s largest uranium enrichment plant was severely damaged in an attack on Israel.
In response, the Islamic Republic has dramatically increased uranium enrichment levels – from 60% to 20% – which means it is closer than ever to obtaining quality fissile material for weapons. President Joe Biden harshly criticized the action, but pledged to continue talks.
Iran wants the US to remove hundreds of sanctions that Trump imposed on its economy after taking office in 2017, including those it reinstated when it broke away from the nuclear deal. Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran wants all the sanctions it expects the US to remove to be listed and officially agreed.
Tehran insists that the United States must take such measures before Iran agrees to reduce its nuclear activity in the initial terms of the nuclear deal. On Sunday, Sullivan said sanctions will be lifted once the US has “clarity and confidence” that the Islamic Republic will reduce its nuclear activity, greatly reduce its enrichment and atomic activity.
“Until we trust all these things United States it will not make concessions at all, “he said.
The nuclear deal, which imposed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for easing sanctions, was a signed achievement of the Obama administration. Trump’s abandonment of the deal has kept relations between enemies for a long time close to the breaking point and has convulsed the Persian Gulf with assassinations, attacks on power plants and seizures of tanks.
The Islamic Republic began to gradually increase its atomic activity in 2019 – enriching uranium above the 3.67% limit allowed in the agreement – in response to Trump’s so-called “maximum pressure” strategy.
“The drafting of the text can start now, and the Iranian delegation has prepared and presented its text on the nuclear sphere and the lifting of sanctions,” Araghchi told Iranian state television, warning that serious disagreements remain.
In a seemingly additional sign of tension relief, the Financial Times reported on Sunday that senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran held talks to repair relations. The newspaper quoted three unidentified officials. The April 9 meeting in Baghdad included talks on the recent attacks and will be followed by another round of talks next week, he said.
The report of the meeting reflects how a major change in US policy under Biden and its intention to reintroduce the original 2015 nuclear deal sent a “clear signal” to Saudi Arabia that it must abandon requests to extend the terms of the nuclear deal. own rivalry and conflict with Iran over regional influence, according to Joost Hiltermann, program director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group.
“This made the Saudis realize that they will not have the US diplomatic protection they were looking for in time,” he said, adding that if the nuclear deal is successfully restored, preliminary talks could pave the way. towards a higher level dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia on regional issues.
Earlier this week, Araghchi said Washington and Tehran must specify the steps each must take to restore the 2015 agreement, including a review of all Trump-era sanctions that Iran says the U.S. should eliminate. .
– With the assistance of Dominic Lau
(Updates with US comments and quotes from the analyst.)