The Biden administration is making progress towards the reunification of the Iranian nuclear deal, with officials to hold high-level talks with the signatories of the Global Joint Action Plan (JCPOA) in Vienna next week.
The United States and Iran are not expected to meet face-to-face, although administration officials say they remain open to direct talks.
The meeting in Vienna marks the most advanced move for the Biden team, which will engage with European, Russian and Chinese counterparts on what steps the US can take to achieve a “mutual return” for both America and Iran.
The meeting is likely to attract intense scrutiny from Capitol Hill, where hundreds of lawmakers have signed a handful of letters to the president and secretary of state. Anthony Blink
Antony BlinkenKerry says US hopes to cooperate with China on climate change Blinken overturns sanctions imposed on Trump Biden ICC officials for first phone call with Ukrainian president on their concerns about engaging with Iran.
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Chamber headed by the President Gregory Meeks
Gregory Weldon’s talks MeeksIran have created a delicate dance for the Biden House Panel team advancing the bill to repeal the 2002 war permit The bipartisan house bill would repeal several old war permits (DN.Y.), posted on Twitter for the meeting.
“This is an important step, albeit a preliminary one. Tough and smart diplomacy in close coordination with our European allies and regional partners is the best way to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and restore full compliance with the JCPOA, ”he said.
President Biden
Joe BidenLegists say resolving border crisis is Biden Trump’s job calls on Republicans to boycott companies amid White House vote controversy: GOP “struggles to articulate reason” to oppose infrastructure plan MORE made the reunification of the agreement a priority foreign policy for its administration. He appointed Robert Malley, a key member of the negotiating team that brokered the 2015 deal, as the US special envoy for Iran.
The agreement, negotiated during the Obama administration while Biden was vice president, placed significant but temporary limits on Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for improved sanctions from the United States and the international community.
Critics say it has not gone far enough to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon and has not addressed a number of the Islamic Republic’s malicious activities, including its ballistic missile programs, support for proxy forces in the Middle East, support for terrorism. and human rights abuses.
“The United States must not once again abandon the leverage that is bringing Iran back to the negotiating table without confronting both Iran’s nuclear and non-nuclear activities, which must be stopped,” 140 House Republicans wrote in a statement. letter to President Biden in February, opposing a return to the JCPOA.
The former Trump administration reintroduced sanctions on Iran when it withdrew from the agreement in May 2018 and added a number of other punitive measures as part of a “maximum pressure campaign” aimed at forcing Tehran to the negotiating table for a stronger agreement.
Tehran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, but nuclear observers say the Islamic Republic is likely just a few months away from building a bomb. Iran began increasing its uranium enrichment in 2019, violating JCPOA conditions in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the then Trump administration.
The Biden team and Iran faced a “person who comes first” over the demands of each party.
The United States was concerned about Iran’s enrichment with uranium of up to 20%, well above the 3.67% agreement limit. Uranium is considered the quality of weapons when it is enriched by about 90%.
The Biden team called on Iran to reverse uranium enrichment before sanctions could be eased. Tehran calls this a nonstarter.
The Vienna meeting will seek to establish a roadmap for both sides to return to compliance with the agreement, including the identification of “measures to lift sanctions and implement nuclear”, according to a statement issued on Friday. to JCPOA signatories – China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and Iran.
State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter said in a briefing with reporters that the United States will not preview the specific sanctions that will be lifted, but that measures to reduce sanctions will be discussed during the meeting.
“We will talk about the nuclear measures that Iran should take to return to compliance with the conditions of the JCPOA and we will not provide for any specific sanctions, but we will certainly say that it sanctions the exemption measures that the US should take to return. when it comes to compliance, we will be in the discussion, ”she said.
Naysan Rafati, Iran’s senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said both Washington and Tehran agreed to return to the JCPOA, but that the road to mutual respect would not be easy.
“The talks are likely to be challenging in terms of scale and sequencing on both the nuclear and sanctions fronts and the skepticism in Washington and Tehran,” he said.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers have sought to bridge the gap between their disagreements over the usefulness of the JCPOA as part of efforts to promote a united front in opposition to Iran’s alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon and destabilizing actions in the region.
Last month, 40 senators on both sides of the aisle signed a letter to the president calling for the use of all diplomatic and economic instruments to prevent Iran from developing the ability to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“Iran should have no doubt about America’s policy. Democrats and Republicans may have tactical differences, but we are united in preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon and addressing the wide range of illicit Iranian behavior. We look forward to working with you to achieve these goals, “the senators wrote.
Similarly, a bipartisan letter signed by 140 members of the House called for an approach to the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and its other disturbing actions.
“As Democrats and Republicans across the political spectrum, we are united in preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon and addressing the wide range of illicit Iranian behavior,” they wrote.
Lawmakers are also concerned about the reduction in sanctions for Iran without a significant verification that it has taken steps to back down in accordance with the JCPOA.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken answered in the affirmative to Rep. Brad Sherman
Bradley (Brad) James Sherman Discussions about Iran have created a delicate dance for the Biden team Biden can build on Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq The bipartisan resolution supports the Iranian public amid Biden’s pressure to reintroduce the nuclear deal MULT (D-Calif.) During a hearing last month that the US would not make concessions to a meeting with Iran, nor would it lift sanctions until Iran is verified in full compliance with the JCPOA or in a way negotiated for full compliance.
Representative. Michael McCaul
Michael Thomas McCaul’s discussions Iran has created a delicate dance for the Biden Panel House team advances bill to repeal 2002 war permit Hundreds of migrants found in three trucks near Mexico’s border with Guatemala MORE (R-Texas) pressured Blinken to pledge to formally consult with Congress before lifting any sanctions.
“We are determined to consult on take-off, not cross-landing – but, yes, especially when it comes to Iran,” Blinken said.