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Onus on US to Decide on JCPOA Implementation

Onus on US to Decide on JCPOA Implementation
Onus on US to Decide on JCPOA Implementation

It is the United States who must make a decision to return to the 2015 nuclear deal by effectively meeting its obligations and removing the illegal sanctions, an Iranian senior diplomat said.
“The Islamic Republic has never quit the JCPOA [formal name of the nuclear deal] to have to rejoin it now… It is the US who tipped the balance of the JCPOA and has practically hindered its implementation through complete non-compliance,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted as saying by ISNA. 
He made the statement in response to the US and French foreign ministers who said the conclusion of negotiations on reviving the agreement hinges on Iran’s decision.
The nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was unravelling since the US quit it in 2018 and reimposed tough sanctions on Tehran, which responded by scaling down its commitments. 
Talks are underway in Vienna, Austria, with other JCPOA parties to see if both sides can agree to resume compliance. 
Six round of negotiations have been carried out so far with significant progress, but a final agreement has not been reached yet. 
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during his visit to Paris this week that Washington still has “serious differences” with Iran which have kept the negotiations on hold, warning that time is running out to return to a nuclear deal. 
“There will come a point, yes, where it will be very hard to return back to the standards set by the JCPOA,” he said.   
France also placed the responsibility on Iran to move ahead.
“We expect the Iranian authorities to take the final decisions—no doubt difficult ones—which will allow the negotiations to be concluded,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said at the joint news conference with Blinken. 

 

 

Unchanged Position 

Khatibzadeh said Iran made its decision when it remained in the deal and kept it alive despite the US unilateral exit and its cruel sanctions against the Iranian nation, as well as the European countries’ inaction. 
Nevertheless, he added, Iran is ready to stop its remedial measures and resume full compliance on condition that the US completely meets its own obligations. 
“It is clear that if the US makes its decision and prepares to fully meet its commitments, and stops using sanctions as negotiating leverage, an agreement would be possible,” he said.
The diplomat said Iran’s position has not changed since the beginning of Vienna talks. 
Iran wants a complete lifting of US sanctions and its verification by Iran before it stops its reciprocal steps and re-implements its commitments. 
“It is the other sides who need to decide,” he said. 
Following the last round of talks, Iran’s top negotiator Abbas Araqchi said the draft documents on an agreement are almost complete and the delegations returned to their capitals, not only for further technical consultations, but for important political decisions. 
Some diplomats say a final agreement is possible before the end of the current Iranian administration’s term in August. 
Ebrahim Raeisi was elected as president last week to replace Hassan Rouhani who could not run again due to term restrictions. 
 

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